Pirates vs Cubs live stream: How to watch the 2021 MLB Opening Day online

The Pirates vs Cubs live stream is here to continue the freshly-started MLB 2021 season, with the best and worst of last year’s NL Central division. Chicago will look for more of the same, while Pittsburgh tries for an about face beginning with this MLB live stream.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are coming off a season where they were the worst team in the bigs and finished last year’s 60-game abbreviated season with just 19 wins. They were the only team in baseball not to reach the 20-win mark. Unfortunately for their franchise and the fans, more of the same is expected of the Buccos this year, but there is a glimmer of hope.

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Ke’Bryan Hayes, took the majors by storm in his 24 games last season. The now 24-year-old third baseman hit .376 with a .442 on base percentage. More of that kind of production will land him with some rookie of the year hardware by season’s end.

The Cubs are coming off a season where they were the best team in an extremely tough division. Four of the five NL Central teams made the playoffs last year and the Cubs led the pack. This year they will look for more offensive firepower from Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo.

Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs at Wrigley against the Pirates’ Chad Kuhl. Hendricks is entering his eighth season with the Cubs and looking to build off another solid year last season. The 31 year-old righty went 6-5 with a 2.88 ERA in 2020. Kuhl is in a much different boat. He’s coming off a season where he won just 2 games in nine starts, posting a 4.27 ERA.   

How to avoid Pirates vs Cubs blackouts with a VPN

OK, somehow you're travelling right now, or you've been hit by a dreaded local blackout -- and you can't watch Pirates vs Cubs. Live streams are still possible in your neck of the woods, with a virtual private network, or VPN, you can appear to be surfing the web from your home town (or somewhere that blackouts won't hit), and access the same streaming services you already paid for. 

Not sure which VPN is right for you? We've tested many different services and our pick for the best VPN overall is ExpressVPN. It offers superb speeds and excellent customer service. But you've got other VPN options as well. Here are our top picks.

We think speed, security and simplicity make ExpressVPN second to none. During our tests, we saw fast connection times, and we're impressed by the service's ability to access more than 3,000 services spread out across 160 locations in 94 countries. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.

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Pirates vs Cubs live streams in the US

In the U.S. the Pirates vs Cubs live stream will begin at 2:20 p.m. ET / 11:20 a.m. PT. Thursday April 1st. It's on Marquee Sports Network and SportsNet Pittsburgh — so your best bets are AT&T TV for Marquee Sports Network and Fubo TV for SportsNet Pittsburgh. Trying to work around regional limitations that may apply? Express VPN is a great way to skirt blackouts. 

MLB.TV ($25 per month/$129 per year), is also streaming out of market games, but if you want more than just baseball, it's not a complete solution. T-Mobile customers get free MLB.TV, along with a free subscription to the sports site The Athletic.

AT&T TV is the destination for cord-cutters looking for their regional sports. Make sure your local sports network is in your package when signing up. AT&T TV starts at $69.99 per month, and packs more than 65 channels.

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Fubo.TV: If you love sports, you probably want to check out Fubo.TV. It's got a 7-day free trial so you don't need to pay up front, and in addition to SportsNet Pittsburgh (available in select regions), it's also got on demand movies, so you're not just watching sports. Fubo also just got ESPN.

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Pirates vs Cubs live streams in the UK

BT Sport has the rights to MLB action in the UK through 2022, but this game isn't among its roster. Those visiting the UK and striking out, while trying to use the service they pay for can check out Express VPN.

Alternatively, another bet is MLB.TV, also available in the UK. It's approximately £50 a month, with zero blackout rules.

Pirates vs Cubs live streams in Canada

In Canada, you'll need MLB.TV to see Pirates vs Cubs, as TSN and SportsNet don't have the game. If you're thinking of subscribing, though, recognize that the Blue Jays will be subject to blackouts. 

If you're visiting Canada from abroad, you can use the streaming services you already pay for with a VPN, such as Express VPN.

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