Apple and Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that 'Friday Night Baseball,' a weekly doubleheader, will resume on Apple TV+ starting Friday, April 7, 2023.
Fans in 60 countries and regions can enjoy two marquee matchups over 25 weeks with no local broadcast restrictions. "Friday Night Baseball" will begin the 2023 season on Friday, April 7, with the Texas Rangers at the Chicago Cubs for the inaugural "Friday Night Baseball" daytime game at Chicago's Wrigley Field, and the San Diego Padres at the Atlanta Braves. Apple and MLB also announced the "Friday Night Baseball" schedule for the first half of the season, through June 30.
"We can't wait for 'Friday Night Baseball' to start up again, and we're excited for fans to experience everything new we're bringing this season," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services. "Apple TV+ truly has something for everyone, from two live baseball games every Friday night, to an incredible slate of award-winning original films and series — there's never been a better time to sign up."
Broadcast talent for this season includes Wayne Randazzo (play-by-play), Dontrelle Willis (analyst), Heidi Watney (sideline reporter), Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst), and Tricia Whitaker (sideline reporter). Game assignments for announcers will be shared on a weekly basis.
Live pre- and postgame coverage will again be hosted by Lauren Gardner, along with Siera Santos. Former MLB players Xavier Scruggs and Matt Joyce will serve as analysts alongside baseball journalist Russell Dorsey. Brian Gorman and Dale Scott — both former MLB umpires — will join to break down MLB's new rules for the season.
"Friday Night Baseball" will be produced by MLB Network's Emmy Award-winning production team in partnership with Apple, bringing viewers an unparalleled viewing experience. Each game will feature state-of-the-art cameras to present vivid live-action shots, and offer immersive sound in 5.1 with Spatial Audio enabled. "Friday Night Baseball" will again utilize drone cameras for beautiful aerial stadium shots, as well as player mics and field-level mics to immerse fans in the gameplay and stadium atmosphere. Fans in the U.S. and Canada will also have the option to listen to the audio of the home and away teams' local radio broadcasts during "Friday Night Baseball" games.
Beginning MLB Opening Day on March 30, fans in the U.S. and Canada can enjoy the MLB Big Inning whip-around show featuring live look-ins and in-game highlights every weeknight, and beginning in April, a full slate of MLB-related content including Countdown to First Pitch, MLB Daily Recap, and MLB This Week on Apple TV+. Fans can also access additional MLB programming for free in the Apple TV app, including "Friday Night Baseball" condensed game recaps after the completion of the live broadcasts each week; classic games; highlights and interviews; and more.
In the U.S., DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS will be the exclusive national home of "Friday Night Baseball" for commercial establishments in 2023. DIRECTV will deliver all the action to its network of more than 300,000 restaurants, bars, hotel lounges, retail shops, and other venues throughout the regular season on existing satellite equipment. In Canada, several providers will offer "Friday Night Baseball" to commercial establishments, offering fans additional ways to enjoy the games.
Fans can also enjoy baseball this season across Apple services. In Apple News, fans can easily follow the league and their favorite teams in My Sports, and watch personalized MLB highlights right in the News app. Each Friday, fans can also access a curated group of the buzziest stories from around the league, and tap to watch "Friday Night Baseball" directly in the Apple TV app with a subscription to Apple TV+. In Apple Music, fans can find exclusive official playlists featuring the walk-up songs from each week's "Friday Night Baseball" teams, as well as a collection of classic songs celebrating baseball.
Check out the schedule below...
2023 "Friday Night Baseball" Schedule on Apple TV+
Friday, April 7
● Texas Rangers at Chicago Cubs - 2 p.m. ET
● San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 14
● San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers - 6:30 p.m. ET
● Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 21
● Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees - 7 p.m. ET
● Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 28
● Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros - 8 p.m. ET
● St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers - 10 p.m. ET
Friday, May 5
● Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati Reds - 6:30 p.m. ET
● Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, May 12
● Kansas City Royals at Milwaukee Brewers - 8 p.m. ET
● Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins - 8 p.m. ET
Friday, May 19
● Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays - 7 p.m. ET
● Seattle Mariners at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, May 26
● San Diego Padres at New York Yankees - 7 p.m. ET
● Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers - 6:30 p.m. ET
Friday, June 2
● Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds - 5 p.m. ET
● Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins - 8 p.m. ET
Friday, June 9
● Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles - 7 p.m. ET
● Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday, June 16
● Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers - 8 p.m. ET
● Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners - 10 p.m. ET
Friday, June 23
● Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins - 6:30 p.m. ET
● New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, June 30
● Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates - 7 p.m. ET
● Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30 p.m. ET
Fans in 60 countries and regions can enjoy two marquee matchups over 25 weeks with no local broadcast restrictions. "Friday Night Baseball" will begin the 2023 season on Friday, April 7, with the Texas Rangers at the Chicago Cubs for the inaugural "Friday Night Baseball" daytime game at Chicago's Wrigley Field, and the San Diego Padres at the Atlanta Braves. Apple and MLB also announced the "Friday Night Baseball" schedule for the first half of the season, through June 30.
"We can't wait for 'Friday Night Baseball' to start up again, and we're excited for fans to experience everything new we're bringing this season," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services. "Apple TV+ truly has something for everyone, from two live baseball games every Friday night, to an incredible slate of award-winning original films and series — there's never been a better time to sign up."
Broadcast talent for this season includes Wayne Randazzo (play-by-play), Dontrelle Willis (analyst), Heidi Watney (sideline reporter), Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst), and Tricia Whitaker (sideline reporter). Game assignments for announcers will be shared on a weekly basis.
Live pre- and postgame coverage will again be hosted by Lauren Gardner, along with Siera Santos. Former MLB players Xavier Scruggs and Matt Joyce will serve as analysts alongside baseball journalist Russell Dorsey. Brian Gorman and Dale Scott — both former MLB umpires — will join to break down MLB's new rules for the season.
"Friday Night Baseball" will be produced by MLB Network's Emmy Award-winning production team in partnership with Apple, bringing viewers an unparalleled viewing experience. Each game will feature state-of-the-art cameras to present vivid live-action shots, and offer immersive sound in 5.1 with Spatial Audio enabled. "Friday Night Baseball" will again utilize drone cameras for beautiful aerial stadium shots, as well as player mics and field-level mics to immerse fans in the gameplay and stadium atmosphere. Fans in the U.S. and Canada will also have the option to listen to the audio of the home and away teams' local radio broadcasts during "Friday Night Baseball" games.
Beginning MLB Opening Day on March 30, fans in the U.S. and Canada can enjoy the MLB Big Inning whip-around show featuring live look-ins and in-game highlights every weeknight, and beginning in April, a full slate of MLB-related content including Countdown to First Pitch, MLB Daily Recap, and MLB This Week on Apple TV+. Fans can also access additional MLB programming for free in the Apple TV app, including "Friday Night Baseball" condensed game recaps after the completion of the live broadcasts each week; classic games; highlights and interviews; and more.
In the U.S., DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS will be the exclusive national home of "Friday Night Baseball" for commercial establishments in 2023. DIRECTV will deliver all the action to its network of more than 300,000 restaurants, bars, hotel lounges, retail shops, and other venues throughout the regular season on existing satellite equipment. In Canada, several providers will offer "Friday Night Baseball" to commercial establishments, offering fans additional ways to enjoy the games.
Fans can also enjoy baseball this season across Apple services. In Apple News, fans can easily follow the league and their favorite teams in My Sports, and watch personalized MLB highlights right in the News app. Each Friday, fans can also access a curated group of the buzziest stories from around the league, and tap to watch "Friday Night Baseball" directly in the Apple TV app with a subscription to Apple TV+. In Apple Music, fans can find exclusive official playlists featuring the walk-up songs from each week's "Friday Night Baseball" teams, as well as a collection of classic songs celebrating baseball.
Check out the schedule below...
2023 "Friday Night Baseball" Schedule on Apple TV+
Friday, April 7
● Texas Rangers at Chicago Cubs - 2 p.m. ET
● San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 14
● San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers - 6:30 p.m. ET
● Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 21
● Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees - 7 p.m. ET
● Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, April 28
● Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros - 8 p.m. ET
● St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers - 10 p.m. ET
Friday, May 5
● Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati Reds - 6:30 p.m. ET
● Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, May 12
● Kansas City Royals at Milwaukee Brewers - 8 p.m. ET
● Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins - 8 p.m. ET
Friday, May 19
● Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays - 7 p.m. ET
● Seattle Mariners at Atlanta Braves - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, May 26
● San Diego Padres at New York Yankees - 7 p.m. ET
● Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers - 6:30 p.m. ET
Friday, June 2
● Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds - 5 p.m. ET
● Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins - 8 p.m. ET
Friday, June 9
● Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles - 7 p.m. ET
● Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30 p.m. ET
Friday, June 16
● Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers - 8 p.m. ET
● Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners - 10 p.m. ET
Friday, June 23
● Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins - 6:30 p.m. ET
● New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies - 7 p.m. ET
Friday, June 30
● Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates - 7 p.m. ET
● Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30 p.m. ET