Major League Baseball returns this week–Free MLB.tv offer begins today

Go back in time and ask anyone and nobody would believe you. Opening day for Major League Baseball 2020 is this Thursday, July 23, and no fans are invited. If you could only go back in time and make a few wagers about the impossible things that happened this year, you’d be rolling in dough. If you’re like me, you’ve been getting your baseball fix via ESPN’s coverage of social-distance baseball with the Korean Baseball Organization aka KBO professional games. An abundance of outfield hitting and less homeruns make the game more exciting than you might think. I’ve gotten to love cheering on the Doosan Bears, which have had a great season, despite quiet bleachers. Will the salary season pay cut be reflected in the excitement on the field in the U.S.? Maybe it’s just time to swap out the commentators, but until that happens we have 60 games for your favorite teams to engage in thanks to the pandemic (or thanks to the federal government failure to adequately address the virus, to be more accurate). That also means subscribers to T-Mobile have the opportunity to get free MLB.tv and watch this season from home. Plus subscribers to another phone provider can get MLB.tv this year for the first time.

T-Mobile has offered MLB.tv to its subscribers for years now, but as a result of the acquisition of Sprint, the company announced Sprint customers can also take advantage of the offer. The company has also added a news service subscription to this year’s opportunity. Just check out the T-Mobile Tuesdays app for more information today.

The MLB.tv offer has some limitations, including local game blackouts, but if you’re familiar with the service you know how fun it is to select a random game in a random town on a random day and just enjoy baseball between two teams in which you have no emotional investment. That’s baseball at its purist. Don’t have T-Mobile or Sprint? The standard MLB.tv pay service is available, too. Check that out at its website here.

Hey, if you want to enhance your experience, you can always pick up some mock game tickets for your favorite fan’s birthday (they do look like the real thing).

The season begins Thursday evening with the Yankees at the Nationals at 6:08 p.m. Central Time (Dr. Anthony Fauci is throwing out the ceremonial first pitch this season) followed by the Giants at the Dodgers at 9:08 p.m. Central Time. Then your favorite team will play beginning 3:10 p.m. Central Time Friday with the Diamondbacks at the Padres beginning 8:10 p.m. Saturday night to round out the last of the first week of games. Bookmark this link at the MLB website to keep tabs on this season’s short schedule. It will be done before you know it. Keep in mind that statistically it’s likely one or more teams will have players catch the virus and be required to drop out midseason.

Will Major League Baseball fare as well without fans in person to cheer on the U.S. professional players? Summer practice and exhibition games with MLB teams have been underway, and not surprisingly, it’s a bit underwhelming so far. If it doesn’t work, we can always return to watching the KBO. Former MLB players are scattered through the Korean league pursuant to a rule allowing three foreign-born players per team, so we still could see more MLB players there than here if teams can’t monitor and take action properly (check out Korea’s baseball schedule at its website here). (Go Bears!)