Best VPNs for MLB.tv to bypass blackouts

MLB.tv is the home of Major League Baseball in the US, with the rights to show every single match. Unfortunately, MLB.tv imposes blackouts for local games, depending on where you are. For example, if you’re in Atlanta, you won’t be able to watch the games of the Atlanta Braves.

Luckily, you can use a VPN to avoid blackouts and watch any match you want, no matter where you are. But not all VPNs are able to bypass MLB.tv’s geo-restrictions.

In this guide, we’ll talk you through the best VPNs for blacked-out MLB games in 2022. So read on for everything you need to know.

Best VPNs for MLB.tv

1. NordVPN – the best VPN for MLB.tv
2. Surfshark – the best value VPN to watch MLB.tv
3. IPVanish – a lightweight MLB.tv VPN
4. Atlas VPN – great affordable VPN for streaming sports
5. PureVPN – excellent VPN for bypassing MLB blackouts

How to watch MLB blackout games with a VPN

It’s easy to avoid blackouts on MLB.tv, no matter where you are. Here’s what you need to do to watch blacked-out games:

1. Sign up for a good VPN. We recommend NordVPN, 68% off now!
2. Download and install the VPN app on your device.
3. Connect to a server in a location where your game isn't blacked out.
4. Go to MLB.tv or open up the MLB.tv app and search for your game.
5. Grab a drink and enjoy!

Watch MLB.tv with NordVPN

The Best VPNs for MLB.tv – our detailed list

We’ve tested out loads of VPNs to see if they can successfully avoid blackouts on MLB.tv to put together a list of our five favorites. Read on for advice on how to choose the right VPN for you.

• Baseline testing speed: 300 Mbps download/300 Mbps upload

1. NordVPN – best overall VPN for watching MLB.tv

Watch MLB.tv with NordVPN

NordVPN is the best VPN for MLB.tv, helping you avoid blackouts, and watch MLB games all across the country. With nearly 2,000 servers across 15 different US cities, you're spoiled for choice.

Even better, it uses NordLynx – its own modified version of WireGuard – to deliver incredibly fast and reliable speeds.

Aside from this, NordVPN is great at bypassing geo-restrictions on all the main streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and BBC iPlayer.

Elsewhere, NordVPN boasts more than 5400 servers in 60 countries.

Of course, protecting your online information is another essential function of a VPN. And NordVPN is probably the most secure one we’ve tested. It has loads of excellent security features that’ll keep your data safe from cybercriminals and your government.

NordVPN users get access to 24/7 live chat customer support. And its prices are actually very reasonable, with plans starting from just $3.29/month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out more, read our full NordVPN review.

2. Surfshark – affordable and fast VPN for MLB.tv

Watch MLB.tv with Surfshark

Surfshark is one of the best providers around – and it's a solid VPN for watching MLB.tv. There are more than 500 servers in the US, spread across over 20 cities, making it a great option for avoiding MLB.tv blackouts.

Not to be outdone by any of the VPN market leaders, Surfshark uses the cutting-edge tunneling protocol, WireGuard, to deliver very impressive speeds.

And if you get bored of watching baseball, you can also use Surfshark to unblock region restrictions on pretty much any streaming service you like. This includes Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. It also offers GPS spoofing.

Besides, Surfshark comes with unlimited simultaneous connections, so you can use it on as many devices as you like at the same time.

It also has a lot of security features on offer to keep your data secure. Surfshark operates a strict zero-logs policy, so you know no one is tracking your activity.

If you get any issues, you can contact the 24/7 live chat support. And it’s fantastic value for money, with prices starting at just $2.30/month, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out more, read our in-depth Surfshark VPN review.

3. IPVanish – best lightweight VPN for MLB.tv

Watch MLB.tv IPVanish

If you’re looking for a lightweight VPN to help you avoid MLB.tv blackouts, IPVanish is an excellent option. While it doesn’t have dedicated servers for streaming, it works very well for accessing games on MLB.tv. This is largely thanks to the fact it has servers in 20 cities across the US.

However, it's not as awesome for bypassing geo-restrictions on some other streaming platforms, such as BBC iPlayer, and DAZN. But it can unblock Netflix and YouTube TV.

On a more positive note, IPVanish does offer fast and reliable speeds, with an average of 237.5 Mbps.

Elsewhere, IPVanish has more than 2000 servers across 50 countries and comes with up to 10 simultaneous connections.

It offers good security features, including strong military-grade ciphers and decent protection against DNS or IP leaks. However, it’s based in the US, which isn’t a privacy-friendly country.

If you have any issues, you can contact its customer support via email or live chat. IPVanish’s pricing plans start from $3.33/month, and you get a 30-day money-back guarantee.

To find out more, read our in-depth IPVanish review.

4. Atlas VPN – affordable VPN for streaming sports

Watch MLB.tv Atlas VPN

Despite having the smallest server fleet compared to other providers on this list, Atlas VPN is an excellent VPN for streaming MLB games.

With servers in Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, New York, and Phoenix, there is ample coverage on both coasts. And when the games are not on, you can also use the worldwide server network for torrenting and streaming.

Plus, with WireGuard available on all Atlas VPN locations, this guarantees top performance as well – Atlas VPN is among the top performers in the market, with fast and stable download speeds. Plus, all the premium American servers are completely streaming-friendly, guaranteeing that whenever you watch a game, the feed is completely stable, with no buffering or sudden interruptions.

When it comes to additional features, Atlas VPN also offers SafeSwap, rotating your IP address wherever you're connected, keeping you extra safe. There's also a data breach checker for your personal data, and a kill switch to protect your devices if the VPN connection suddenly drops.

For a low price of $2.05/month, this is one of the cheapest VPNs for MLB.tv – and everything else that you do online.

To find out more, take a look at our in-depth Atlas VPN review.

5. PureVPN – excellent all-around VPN for baseball

Watch MLB.tv with PureVPN

PureVPN is an excellent option for streaming – and it works really well with MLB.tv. With a massive fleet of over 6500 servers in 78 countries, it can give you access to numerous worldwide services showing plenty of baseball games. In the US alone, servers cover 13 different cities, from Seattle to LA, New Jersey to Miami – you’ll be able to jump around blackouts like a pro.

Thanks to the super-fast and secure WireGuard protocol, the performance is pretty excellent. The games were streaming in high-definition, with no noticeable lag or buffering issues, with only very rare connection drops.

PureVPN does well beyond baseball, too – it’s excellent with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and more. So there’s something for everyone, even in the offseason. The split tunneling feature can also let you enable VPN only on specific apps, making your streaming and browsing experience as customizable as possible.

With the prices starting at $1.99/month, PureVPN is a solid all-around option for streaming. And in case you won’t like it as much as we did, there’s a 31-day money-back guarantee, so you can sign up without risking any of your hard-earned money.

To find out more, read our in-depth PureVPN review.

How we tested and selected these VPNs

When putting together our list of the best VPNs to use if you want to avoid blackouts on MLB.tv, we considered the following criteria:

• Whether it works with MLB.tv streams: This might sound obvious, but many VPNs aren’t able to unblock restrictions on MLB.tv. So, we tested lots of options before choosing our top five, all of which consistently gave us access to games.
• Speed: Buffering is the last thing you want to deal with when watching baseball. Therefore, we chose VPNs that provide fast and reliable speeds for lag-free streaming to make sure you don’t miss a moment of that important match.
• Whether it has any relevant additional features: When choosing a VPN, it’s always worth considering extra features. We’ve called out a variety of extras in our list, including SmartDNS, GPS spoofing, and the Chameleon protocol.
• Customer support: This is crucial in case anything goes wrong. Therefore, each of the options on our list comes with live chat support.
• Price: When signing up for any long-term subscription, price is always important. In our list, we were careful to include a variety of pricing options to suit every budget.
• Security and privacy: Whatever your reason for wanting a VPN, it’s vital to pick one that will protect your online privacy. We have recommended a selection of VPNs that have a wide range of excellent security options to keep your data safe from cybercriminals.

What are MLB blackouts?

MLB blackout rules state that due to local broadcasting companies in the US and Canada having exclusive streaming rights to certain games. This means that these games won’t be streamed on MLB.tv for users in the away or home team’s region. This is called a blackout. For example, when the Atlanta Braves are playing, you won’t be able to see the game if you’re also in Atlanta regardless of if local television is broadcasting it or not.

MLB rules also say that your location may be determined using various methods, including checking your IP address.

You can check which MLB blackout restrictions apply to your region here by scrolling down and entering your zip code.

Alternatively, you can also take a look at the MLB blackout map:

Do I really need a VPN to watch MLB.tv?

MLB uses your IP address to determine your location and not show certain games based on that, so if you want to watch all the games on MLB.tv, you will need to use a VPN or a proxy.

However, a VPN will change your IP address to a one from whatever location you want and need. Once you have set up a VPN, all you need to do is connect to a server in a location where MLB.tv is showing the match, and you will be able to bypass these region restrictions. Then, you can simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the game.

How to use a VPN to bypass MLB.tv blackouts

Despite what you might think, it’s incredibly easy to bypass MLB.tv blackouts so you can watch whatever MLB games you like from wherever you are in the world. All you need to do is follow this simple step-by-step guide:

1. Choose a VPN that has a number of servers in the US. We recommend NordVPN.
2. Download and install the software on your device, and complete the sign-up process.
3. Connect to a server in an area that has access to the game.
4. Head to the MLB.tv website, or download the MLB app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
5. Enjoy cheering on your favorite MLB team.

How to avoid MLB.tv blackouts on PC

It’s simple to avoid blackouts on MLB.tv if you’re watching on your PC via a browser such as Chrome or Firefox. Just follow these steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN service that has a good range of servers in different cities across the US, such as NordVPN.
2. Download and install the app, and complete the registration process.
3. Log in to your VPN account.
4. Connect to a server in a city in the US that has the rights to show the game on MLB.tv.
5. Go to MLB.tv on your web browser, and start watching.

How to avoid MLB.tv blackouts on Fire TV or Fire Stick

You can watch any MLB.tv fixture you like on your Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick. All you need is a VPN. Here’s how to do it:

1. Choose a VPN provider on your computer or smartphone. NordVPN is one of the best.
2. Download and install the VPN app from the Amazon Appstore.
3. Connect to a server in a location where the game you’re trying to watch is available.
4. Open the MLB.tv app and enjoy the game.

Get NordVPN for Fire Stick

How to avoid MLB.tv blackouts on Kodi

1. Select a VPN on your computer or smartphone. NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Download and install the VPN app on your device and finish the sign-up process.
3. Download and install the VPN add-on on Kodi if there’s one available.
4. If the VPN provider you’ve chosen doesn’t have its own Kodi add-on, you will need to download the OpenVPN add-on. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have to configure a manual OpenVPN connection. Your VPN provider will have step-by-step instructions explaining how to do this.
5. Connect to a server in a location that’s showing the match.
6. Open the MLB.tv add-on on your Kodi and start watching.

MLB.tv not working with a VPN? Here’s how to fix:

There can be some moments when a VPN seems to not work for bypassing MLB.tv blackout restrictions. There can be several reasons for this:

• Your VPN provider isn’t able to bypass geo-restrictions
• Your real IP address is leaking
• Cookies on your browser reveal your real location
• Media error, usually related to internet connection issues

Here’s what you can try to fix these issues:

• Enable your VPN’s leak protection settings
• Clear cookies and cache on your browser and/or device
• Reboot and/or reinstall the VPN app
• Logout from your MLB account, and then login again
• Re-install the MLB.tv app on your mobile device
• Reboot your device
• Reboot your wifi-router
• Change your VPN provider

Unblock MLB game online with NordVPN

If you are outside the US and can't watch MLB games online, NordVPN will help you out. It's one of the best VPN providers to unblock geo-restricted content that also comes with a top-notch suite of security and offers over 1970 US servers.

cybernews® score

4.9 /5

• Extremely fast
• Top-notch security features
• Large fleet of servers based in the US

Visit NordVPN

Can you get around MLB blackouts with a free VPN?

It’s very unlikely, as free VPNs almost always have a poor server infrastructure that means they will probably be detected by MLB.tv. Therefore, you won’t be able to use it to bypass any blackouts.

And even if you do manage to unblock the geo-restrictions on MLB.tv with a free VPN, you’ll probably then have to deal with a lot of buffering. This is because most free VPNs don’t provide adequate connection speeds for streaming.

Even more worryingly, free VPNs are often very unsafe, and they often make money by selling your data to third parties. Consequently, we don’t recommend using a free VPN.

Alternatively, you could use a freemium VPN service, which is a free version of a reputable, paid VPN. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that these are usually much more limited than the paid-for options. For one thing, they generally struggle to bypass region restrictions on major streaming services. For this reason, we don’t recommend using one to watch MLB.tv.

Freemiums also tend to come with monthly data caps, which certainly isn’t great if you like to stream content. But if you do want to try one out, you could opt for Atlas VPN's freemium plan, which we talked about earlier in this guide. It comes with a data cap of 10GB a month. But if you're looking for high-quality, unlimited streaming, a solid premium VPN is the best overall option.

Visit NordVPN

Conclusion

If you want to watch all the baseball on MLB.tv, but you’re struggling with blackouts, all you need is a good VPN with plenty of servers across the US, and you’ll never miss a moment of the action. All you need to do is use your VPN to connect to a server in a place that has the rights to show the game, and your device will appear to have an IP address from that location. This will then unblock the content for you.

Of course, this isn’t the only reason to use a VPN. In fact, a reliable VPN comes with loads of benefits. For one thing, you can use it to watch pretty much any streaming service in the world. Hence, if you want to watch BBC iPlayer from outside the UK or Hulu from outside the US, or even if you just want to try out a foreign version of Netflix, a VPN will be able to make this possible.

But even more crucially, a VPN is a vital cybersecurity tool. It encrypts your traffic, which will keep it safe from online hackers and other third parties. It also protects your information while you’re connected to public Wi-Fi.

Did you find everything you were looking for in this article? Let us know in the comments!

More VPN guides from CyberNews:

FAQs