The best feature of the MLB app is the 30-second delay

When my family stopped using cable four years ago and lost access to Seattle Mariners games on TV, I started streaming podcasts on a Google Home speaker in my kitchen. genuinely? Baseball on the Bases Radio. You can walk around and do things to the background of fun crowd sounds. Sometimes you hear the crack of Cal Raleigh’s bat as he slams the ball into the stands Once or 60 times. There’s just one problem: spoilers.

I use the MLB app for live scores, which is especially useful for completing an audio-only game. You don’t have to wait for the announcer to repeat how many outs there are; I can just look at my phone. When I have to abandon my radio engagement, notifications keep me up to date on what’s going on in the game. The problem is that it’s fast, faster than audio streaming delay. I’ll enjoy the drama of the full count with the contestants in the scoring center and two contestants only to have the results spoiled by the phone ringing.

You see, up until this year, there were two legitimate ways to watch a Mariners live stream: subscribing to an expensive cable package or driving to the corner of Dave Niehaus Way and Edgar Martinez Drive and buying a ticket to the game. Root Sports, the shadowy organization that controls the television rights to Mariners games, introduced a standalone streaming option in April of this year for up to $20 a month. Radio was my top choice, no subscription, hacking or VPN required. But those dang notifications kept spoiling things.

I struggled to find a solution. I can put my phone on Do Not Disturb while actively listening, but then I’ll miss other notifications. Turning on score notifications when I walked away from the radio and remembering to turn them off again when I returned was unrealistic. But as I was looking through my notification settings during Monday’s playoff game against the Blue Jays, I found exactly what I was looking for: a 30-second delay. Specifically, an option you can turn on to delay notifications so you can enjoy your stream without spoilers.

I can’t think of another time when I’d want an app to just deliver notifications slight Late, but in this case, it’s perfect. I still get the updates I want, but it doesn’t spoil the fun of listening to the events live (or about to be live, I guess). Posted on Reddit It’s suggested that the MLB app added this feature a couple of years ago, and I’ll admit it’s been a while since I’ve been able to watch M games regularly, which is probably why I’m finding it now. But I picked up the habit again as the team heats up at the end of this season, and I’m glad I finally have the option of a spoiler-free audio experience.

Funny thing is I won’t need to set up my radio/app for the rest of this season. The Mariners made it to the playoffs – two wins from their first trip to the World Series, no less! -And these games are all on national television. I guess there is a way to beat Root Sports after all.