Apple TV+ and MLB announced the schedule for the first half of “Friday Night Baseball.” See below the list of games from April 8 to June 24.
MLB and Apple TV+ Deal
In March 2022, Apple and Major League Baseball (MLB) announced their offering of a weekly live doubleheader, “Friday Night Baseball.” This exciting news will allow baseball fans to watch two marquee games on Friday nights, free from local broadcast restrictions, on Apple TV+. “Friday Night Baseball” will run throughout the regular season and will include pre- and post-game shows.
Needless to say, Apple’s Peter Stern—the tech giant’s Vice President of Services—expressed their excitement for the new season, “baseball has a special place in the heart of so many Apple customers…we’re proud to make Apple TV+ the home for great baseball moments throughout the season.” Likewise, MLB’s decision to partner with Apple was deemed ideal according to MLB’s Chief Revenue Officer, Noah Garden. “Following milestones like the launch of At Bat on day one of the App Store in 2008 to the integration of Apple technology in ballparks across the country, this robust new game package is the perfect next collaboration in our long history of offering quality and innovative content to our fans,” says Garden. He added that Apple TV+’s reach and availability “offers an exciting new platform to fans that allows a wider audience to connect with the game.”
Apple TV+ and MLB’s “Friday Night Baseball” Schedule
The first “Friday Night Baseball” will premiere on April 8th, and for its first week, the scheduled marquee games are between New York Mets versus the Washington Nationals; and the Houston Astros versus the Los Angeles Angels.
The first game is between the Mets and the Nationals, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. It will feature the anticipated Mets debut of three-time Cy Young Award-winner and eighth-time All-Star player, Max Scherzer. Scherzer and the Mets will face All-Star player Juan Soto and the Nationals live at the Nationals Park in Washington, DC.
Afterward, the three-time American League MVP Mike Trout and the reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels will take on Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman and the rest of the defending American League Champion team, the Houston Astros. The game will begin at 9:30 p.m. ET, live from Angel Stadium.
On April 15, the second week of “Friday Nights Baseball,” MLB will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day. The night marks the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Famer’s historic debut. And to celebrate the special occasion, Tampa Bay Rays and Randy Arozarena—the reigning American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year recipient—will visit All-Star Tim Anderson and the Chicago White Sox for a 7 p.m. ET game. Finally, to end the celebration, Los Angeles Dodgers (Robinson’s MLB franchise) with 2020 National League MVP Freddie Freeman will host the Cincinnati Reds—which will feature last season’s National League Jackie Robinson Rooke of the Year, Jonathan India—at a 10 p.m. ET game live at the Dodgers Stadium.
The rest of the “Friday Night Baseball” schedule on Apple TV+
April 22
St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds—6:30 p.m. ET
Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics—9:30 p.m. ET
April 29
New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals—8 p.m. ET
Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants—10 p.m. ET
May 6
Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox—7 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rays at Seattle Mariners—9:30 p.m. ET
May 13
San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves—7 p.m. ET
Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks—9:30 p.m. ET
May 20
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates—6:30 p.m. ET
Texas Rangers at Houston Astros—8 p.m. ET
May 27
Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox—7 p.m. ET
Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels—9:30 p.m. ET
June 3
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees—7 p.m. ET
Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies—8:30 p.m. ET
June 10
Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins—8 p.m. ET
New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels—9:30 p.m. ET
June 17
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros—8 p.m. ET
Cleveland Guardians at Los Angeles Dodgers—10 p.m. ET
June 24
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals—8 p.m. ET
Detroit Tigers at Arizona Diamondbacks—9:30 p.m. ET
How To Watch MLB “Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+
“Friday Night Baseball” will be available for free, for a limited time, without the need for a subscription. It will be available to stream on Apple TV+ in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
Published by HOLR Magazine.