Boston and Pittsburgh meet at PNC Park on August 16, 2026. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET (11:35 a.m. Mexico City). Here’s everything you need — start time, where to watch, and who’s taking the mound.
Game Info
- Matchup: Boston Red Sox vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
- League: MLB
- Date: August 16, 2026
- First Pitch: 1:35 p.m. ET | 11:35 a.m. Mexico City | 1:35 p.m. Caracas | 1:35 p.m. Santo Domingo
- Venue: PNC Park
Where to Watch
🇲🇽 Mexico — 11:35 a.m.
- Canal 5 — 55 regular-season games; part of the 2026–2028 broadcast deal
- NU9VE (Canal 9) — Sunday game of the week
- ESPN — ~6 games per week
- TUDN
- Canal FOX — 5-game weekly package: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and two Saturdays
- Disney+ — 6 additional games per week + ESPN simulcast
🇻🇪 Venezuela — 1:35 p.m.
- Televén (free) — Mainly weekends; free streaming on their mobile app
- 1BASEBALL — 24-hour baseball channel, up to 3 games per day. Available via Simple, Inter and NetUno GO
- ByM SPORT — 6 days a week, via Inter and Simple
- IVC — Tuesday through Sunday
- ESPN — Live and replays
- Disney+
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic — 1:35 p.m.
- Teleantillas Canal 10 (free) — 7 games per week, one per day, free. Seventh consecutive year. Covers Opening Day through the full World Series, including the Futures Game, Home Run Derby, All-Star Game and the entire postseason
- ESPN
- 1BASEBALL — via Altice
- FOX / FS1 / FS2 / FOX Deportes
- teleantillas.com.do (free)
- MLB.TV
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico — 1:35 p.m.
- WAPA Deportes (free) — Regular season (typically Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). Exclusive island broadcast of the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby
- MLB.TV
🇺🇸 United States (Spanish-language)
- Telemundo — Presented Opening Day; 25 featured games in 2026 via Telemundo Deportes
- UniMás / TUDN — MLB En Vivo (Tuesdays 9 p.m. ET) and MLB Esta Semana (Saturdays 3 p.m. ET)
- Universo — Sunday Night Baseball in Spanish
- FOX Deportes — Regular season and Spanish simulcast of the FOX postseason: Division Series, Championship Series and World Series
- ESPN Deportes — ESPN retained Spanish-language rights for its 30-game linear package
- Peacock — Sunday Night Baseball in Spanish
Local Broadcasts
- Boston Red Sox: NESN · streaming on NESN 360
- Pittsburgh Pirates: SportsNet Pittsburgh · streaming on SNP 360
A Note on MLB.TV
MLB.TV remains an out-of-market product. For 22 of 30 clubs, there is a separate local in-market subscription — sold inside the MLB app at ~$19.99/month or ~$99.99/season — that is blackout-free locally. Games exclusive to national partners (Netflix, NBC/Peacock, Apple TV, FOX, ESPN) are not included in MLB.TV; that’s not a blackout, they simply aren’t part of the package. No public blackout map exists for Latin American countries, so availability may vary.
How Both Teams Are Playing
- Boston Red Sox: 66-57 (.537)
- Pittsburgh Pirates: 60-65 (.480)
Starting Pitchers
- Boston — Patrick Sandoval (LHP): 1-1, 3.30 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 29 strikeouts in 30.0 innings
- Pittsburgh — Lake Bachar (RHP): 1-2, 3.97 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 68 strikeouts in 65.2 innings
Keys to the Game
Boston carries a meaningful edge in the playoff race: at 66-57, the Red Sox are fighting to lock up a postseason spot, while Pittsburgh (60-65) needs wins to stay relevant in the second half. Every game matters differently for each side.
On the mound, Patrick Sandoval and Lake Bachar make for an interesting contrast. Sandoval has a sharper ERA (3.30) but a higher WHIP (1.70), suggesting some traffic on the bases. Bachar’s WHIP of 1.08 tells a different story — he’s been remarkably clean, limiting baserunners despite a slightly higher ERA of 3.97. Command and control could be the deciding factor in what should be a competitive pitching matchup.
This article will be updated after the game with the final score, key plays and video highlights.
