Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ starts with hotly anticipated matchup

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Get ready to watch some baseball. It's easier than ever to stream MLB playoffs.
Play ball! Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ starts April 8.
Photo: Paul Lim/Flickr CC

Apple TV+ got lucky with timing of the April 8 debut of Friday Night Baseball. The live sports show will start with the much-anticipated New York Mets debut of three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star Max Scherzer in a matchup with All-Star Juan Soto and the Washington Nationals.

That game will be followed by the Houston Astros versus the Los Angeles Angels. These weekly doubleheaders are free to watch and available to anyone with internet access (in eight countries to start). And they’re only on Apple TV+, with no subscription required (for a limited time).

Play ball! With ⚾️ on Apple TV+

The Mets/Nationals game will start April 8 at 7 p.m. ET, live from Nationals Park. The Astros/Angels matchup is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.

On April 15, Major League Baseball will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day, marking the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Famer’s historic Major League debut.

That day’s first Friday Night Baseball game will feature reigning American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Randy Arozarena and the Tampa Bay Rays taking on the Chicago White Sox. The second game of the night will feature last season’s National League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Jonathan India and the Cincinnati Reds taking on the Freddie Freeman and the LA Dodgers.

Apple TV+ will continue to stream two baseball games each Friday night for the rest of the season. Watching on the streaming service will be “free for a limited time,” according to Apple. All that’s necessary is the free Apple TV app, which is available for a wide variety of smart TVs and streamers, like Roku and Amazon Fire. Naturally, there are also versions for all Apple computers.

Games will be available in eight countries: United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Apple plans to expand availability to additional countries at a later date.

Friday Night Baseball will include live pre- and postgame shows, but Apple TV+ did not reveal who will provide color commentary.

“Presentation details including additional game schedules through the regular season, broadcast teams, production enhancements, and pre- and postgame coverage will be announced at a later date,” Apple said in a press release Tuesday.

More than live baseball games on Apple TV+

The Apple TV+ partnership with MLB doesn’t stop at Friday Night Baseball. Fans in the United States will be able to enjoy MLB Big Inning, a live show featuring highlights and look-ins airing every weeknight during the regular season.

Plus, baseball fans in the U.S. and Canada will also have access to a new 24/7 livestream with MLB game replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games, and more. And there will be a full complement of on-demand programming, including highlights and MLB-themed original content.

All the Friday Night Baseball games scheduled so far

On Tuesday, Apple and MLB announced the first half of the 2022 Friday Night Baseball schedule.

Friday, April 8
New York Mets at Washington Nationals
7 p.m. ET

Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, April 15
Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox
7 p.m. ET

Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers
10 p.m. ET

Friday, April 22
St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds
6:30 p.m. ET

Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, April 29
New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals
8 p.m. ET

Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants
10 p.m. ET

Friday, May 6
Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox
7 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Rays at Seattle Mariners
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, May 13
San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves
7 p.m. ET

Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, May 20
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates
6:30 p.m. ET

Texas Rangers at Houston Astros
8 p.m. ET

Friday, May 27
Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox
7 p.m. ET

Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 3
Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
7 p.m. ET

Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies
8:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 10
Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins
8 p.m. ET

New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 17
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
8 p.m. ET

Cleveland Guardians at Los Angeles Dodgers
10 p.m. ET

Friday, June 24
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
8 p.m. ET

Detroit Tigers at Arizona Diamondbacks
9:30 p.m. ET

Additional game schedules through the remainder of the regular season will be announced at a later date.

Source: Apple

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