Baseball on TV This Week: Our Picks for July 27 – August 2
It's the last full week before the trade deadline, and the contenders are all jockeying for position. This week hands us an old-school NL Central rivalry with real Wild Card stakes, a rare interleague meeting of two 59-win teams in a national window, and Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers back on the big stage. Here's what we'd clear the schedule for — and exactly where to watch each one.
Editor's Picks
Cubs at Cardinals
One of baseball's oldest rivalries with a genuine edge this year: the Cubs (59–46) hold the top NL Wild Card spot, while the Cardinals (53–52) are fighting to stay in the race — and St. Louis has quietly won the season series 4–2. A division rival it can't afford to feed, at Busch Stadium.
Why watch: Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman against Jordan Walker and a Cardinals bullpen leaning on 26-save closer Riley O'Brien. Records as of late July; they move daily.
Mariners at Dodgers
The best team in the National League on national TV. The Dodgers (67–39, a double-digit lead in the NL West) host Seattle, with Shohei Ohtani — who reached his 300th career home run this season — back in the spotlight after a quieter July at the plate.
Why watch: a first-place juggernaut, an AL West visitor, and one of the game's biggest stars, all in a national window.
Yankees at Cubs
The schedule quirk of the week: two teams with identical 59–46 records, each leading its league's Wild Card race, meeting in a FOX Saturday night window at Wrigley Field. The Yankees are doing it without Aaron Judge (out with a rib stress fracture), with Ben Rice carrying the bats.
Why watch: a rare Yankees–Cubs meeting, a national stage, and two genuine contenders. Bregman facing his old league is a nice subplot.
Braves at Mets
Two NL East teams heading in opposite directions. Atlanta has stayed near the top of the division; the Mets (44–62) have endured a miserable season — a midseason managerial change to interim skipper Andy Green, and star Juan Soto sidelined by a calf strain. A chance for New York to play spoiler, or for the Braves to keep the pressure on.
Everything else on this week
| Wed | Phillies at Marlins | Marlins.TV |
| Wed | D-backs at Pirates | SportsNet Pittsburgh |
| Wed | Blue Jays at Nationals | Nationals.TV |
| Wed | Orioles at Tigers | Detroit SportsNet |
| Wed | Braves at Mets | SNY |
| Wed | Brewers at Giants | NBC Sports Bay Area |
| Wed | Rockies at Padres | Padres.TV |
| Wed | Rangers at Rays | Rays.TV |
| Wed | Braves at Mets | SNY |
| Wed | Guardians at Reds | Reds.TV |
| Wed | Royals at Twins | Twins.TV |
| Wed | Yankees at White Sox | MLB Network |
| Wed | Cubs at Cardinals | Cardinals.TV |
| Wed | Astros at Angels | Angels Broadcast TV |
| Wed | Red Sox at Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Wed | Mariners at Dodgers | Spectrum SportsNet LA |
| Thu | Rangers at Rays | Rays.TV |
| Thu | Royals at Twins | Twins.TV |
| Thu | Yankees at White Sox | Chicago Sports Network |
| Thu | Cubs at Cardinals | Cardinals.TV |
| Thu | Pirates at Reds | Reds.TV |
| Thu | Marlins at Mets | SNY |
| Thu | Nationals at Braves | ESPN |
| Thu | Red Sox at Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Thu | Giants at Padres | Padres.TV |
| Thu | Mariners at Dodgers | MLB Network |
| Fri | Yankees at Cubs | Marquee Sports Network |
| Fri | Pirates at Reds | Reds.TV |
| Fri | Phillies at Orioles | MASN |
| Fri | Cardinals at Blue Jays | Sportsnet |
| Fri | D-backs at Guardians | Guardians.TV |
| Fri | White Sox at Rays | Rays.TV |
| Fri | Marlins at Mets | SNY |
| Fri | Nationals at Braves | Braves.TV |
| Fri | Rangers at Astros | Apple TV |
| Fri | Royals at Rockies | Rockies.TV |
| Fri | Brewers at Angels | Angels Broadcast TV |
| Fri | Tigers at Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Fri | Giants at Padres | Apple TV |
| Fri | Red Sox at Dodgers | Spectrum SportsNet LA |
| Fri | Twins at Mariners | Mariners.TV |
| Sat | Cardinals at Blue Jays | Sportsnet |
| Sat | Twins at Mariners | FS1 |
| Sat | White Sox at Rays | Rays.TV |
| Sat | Marlins at Mets | SNY |
| Sat | Pirates at Reds | Reds.TV |
| Sat | Phillies at Orioles | MASN |
| Sat | Rangers at Astros | Space City Home Network |
| Sat | D-backs at Guardians | FOX |
| Sat | Nationals at Braves | Braves.TV |
| Sat | Yankees at Cubs | FOX |
| Sat | Royals at Rockies | Rockies.TV |
| Sat | Giants at Padres | Padres.TV |
| Sat | Red Sox at Dodgers | Spectrum SportsNet LA |
| Sat | Brewers at Angels | Angels Broadcast TV |
| Sat | Tigers at Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Sun | Phillies at Orioles | MASN |
| Sun | Nationals at Braves | Braves.TV |
| Sun | Cardinals at Blue Jays | Sportsnet |
| Sun | D-backs at Guardians | Guardians.TV |
| Sun | Pirates at Reds | Reds.TV |
| Sun | White Sox at Rays | Rays.TV |
| Sun | Marlins at Mets | SNY |
| Sun | Rangers at Astros | Space City Home Network |
| Sun | Yankees at Cubs | Marquee Sports Network |
| Sun | Royals at Rockies | Rockies.TV |
| Sun | Brewers at Angels | Peacock |
| Sun | Tigers at Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Sun | Giants at Padres | Padres.TV |
| Sun | Twins at Mariners | Mariners.TV |
| Sun | Red Sox at Dodgers | NBC |
That's our shortlist, but it's a deep week beyond the top four — with the August 3 trade deadline looming, every contender's series carries extra weight. See the complete week, with every first pitch converted to your local time zone, on our full schedule.
New to the 2026 TV maze? Our viewing guides break down exactly where every game lives this year, what's free, and what it costs.
First pitch shown in US Eastern; on the live schedule it converts to your local zone automatically. Listings verified as of publication — see how we check our TV listings.
