Yes Network availability

YES is considered a local channel/RSN. You live in Michigan. That's why you don't get it. RSN stands for Regional Sports Network. You don't live in that region. If you want to watch baseball teams out of your region, you need to sub to MLB extra innings.

Go to this link and click on "Regional Sports & Local" at the top.  Type in your zip code and it will tell you which local channels and RSNs are available in your area.  

https://www.directv.com/stream/channel-lineup/

OP already said they live in SW Michigan. YES network is for the NY area

I know.  I provided the link so he can see what networks are actually available in his area.

What does a local New Yorker do when traveling to watch the Yankees. I understand I get YES when at home as my home is in the RSN market, and I know the Michigan fan cannot get it.  However, how do I watch the games when traveling away from my home market? is it based on where my account is resident or is it based on where I and my device is located at the time?

Where your device is at the time. If your device is out of market (out of home) then you will not be able to view it.

Well, it may depend on the type of device you are using.  A mobile device, which "knows" where you are, will not show an RSN when you are out of the region.  Some "TV streamers", like Roku or FireStick might, since they don't know where you are so might use your home (billing) location.  I'd suggest you try it to see.

So, the follow up question then becomes how does a person who resides in the NY area and subscribes to Direct TV Stream for the YES Network at home get to watch Yankee games when traveling?  

An MLB.TV subscription blocks local games to the subscriber. However, if that subscriber is out of own, will MLB read that the person is in Chicago or LA and block the Cubs and Dodgers but unlock the Yankees?

Blackout Restrictions (per MLB):

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/blackout-mobile

From their website.

yes, thank you - I have seen that message. However, the message is not clear at all regarding whether the "home market" is determined by the location of the subscribe or by the location of the media device at the time of the connection.  When one subscribes to MLB.TV and lives in the NY area, the Yankees and Mets are blocked.  However, it could be where the subscriber is resident or where the subscriber currently finds himself.

Direct TV and the RSN that carries YES uses where the subscriber is located, so ones Direct TV account (RSN) does no good when traveling. The question is whether the same rules apply for MLB.TV which would give the New York the Yankees or Mets when in LA, but not when home.

Well, according to the MLB.TV site, they attempt to figure out where you are to see what blackouts apply - see this.  To the extent they can figure out you are out of region, you should only be subject to the blackout rules at that location.  (Notwithstanding their comments here about billing location, which make the answer unclear.  Nevertheless...)  So the answer to that question is "in theory, yes". 

However, on top of that, you will be dealing with the rest of MLB's somewhat bizarre blackout rules that will particularly kick in because you are a Yankees fan (likely also applies to other big market teams) - MLB.TV also blacks out games that are on any national "broadcast".  That includes the broadcast networks and any streaming service offering their own exclusives - AppleTV+ and Peacock at least, not sure of any others (that aren't part of the DTV stream national carriage, like ESPN).  So for any game carried by those streaming services, or nationally by a network with a local affiliate DTV Stream doesn't carry (not likely to be an issue in LA or Chicago), it won't be on MLB.TV.  Those of us in small markets and/or with crappy teams are not likely to have those services (or the national networks) carry many if any of our team's games - so unlikely to be impacted by that blackout rule - but the Yankees are a different story.

you really would have a hard time making this more difficult.  Given the aging of the average baseball fan, the machinations one has to go through just to follow your team is counterproductive, to say the least.

Thanks for the info.