Digital Diamond: ESPN Fantasy Baseball and MLB.TV connect fans to baseball
ESPN is enhancing the MLB fan experience for the 2026 season by integrating fantasy baseball updates and live game streaming into its app, offering fans new interactive features and seamless access to games
With Opening Day this week, millions of fans are preparing to connect and engage with the MLB through the ESPN App. With a newly refreshed ESPN Fantasy App and MLB.TV now available on ESPN, the 2026 season offers fans more ways to experience baseball.
As America’s pastime returns to the diamond, millions of fans are gearing up for a new season of ESPN Fantasy Baseball – drafting teams, building lineups, chasing waiver-wire gems and competing on the industry’s number one fantasy games platform. Already, Fantasy Baseball has seen 20% year-over-year growth in signups and has hit a new ESPN record for the game.
Key updates include a new GM Dashboard for quick access to roster and team insights, enhanced matchup navigation with real-time scoring visibility and improved player discovery through trending and recommended pickups.
A dynamic home feed surfaces rankings, top performers and analyst insights, while allowing users to take action directly. New lineup protection features help ensure inactive players are automatically replaced, keeping teams competitive.
Also new this season is Fantasy Achievements, a system of digital awards that recognize unique milestones throughout the season. With interactive, sharable badges across multiple rarity tiers, achievements add a new layer of engagement and competition for players.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to make fantasy more dynamic, personal, and rewarding,” said Dan Bohm, Director of Product Management at Disney. “Achievements add a new layer of recognition across many of our ESPN Fantasy games that celebrate the moments that define a season, from winning streaks to savvy roster moves. It gives fans more reasons to check in, compete, and stay connected with ESPN Fantasy.”
Play + watch: MLB.TV on ESPN
This season also marks a new milestone in one of sports media’s longest-standing partnerships: ESPN is now the streaming home of MLB.TV. Fans can purchase and view MLB.TV directly from the ESPN App and ESPN.com, unlocking thousands of out-of-market live regular-season games – including both home and away commentary feeds.
The integration of MLB.TV into the ESPN App enhances the viewing experience for fantasy players, who can now follow their team’s real-time performance alongside live game action.
Features such as multiview, synchronized stats, and integrated betting information create a more immersive and interactive experience.
As the season begins, ESPN brings together the best of fantasy and live viewing, giving fans a single destination to build their lineup, track performance and watch the action unfold.
