Among all the changes Major League Baseball has made on the field over the last couple of seasons, the change that has sparked the most divide among fans has come off the field: the introduction of Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+. From Apple-centric graphics and questionable broadcasting to the crisp 4K presentation and live odds, plenty of good and bad has come with the new Apple broadcast rights.
One thing that isn’t up for debate is whether Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ is here to stay. MLB and Apple TV recently released the broadcast schedule for the first half of the 2024 season. As for how it affects Philadelphia Phillies fans, the Phillies will be featured in two games between Opening Day and the end of June.
When do the Phillies play on Apple TV+?
The Phillies’ first Friday Night Baseball game is slated for Friday, May 3, against the San Francisco Giants. It's a home game for the Phillies, and with a 6:40 p.m. ET first pitch is the first game of the Friday Night Baseball doubleheader.
The Fightins’ second appearance on Apple TV+ is scheduled for Friday, June 21, against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This rematch of the 2023 NLCS will have a first pitch time of 6:40 p.m. ET. That night is also notable as the Cole Hamels Retirement Night and will feature the legendary hurler retiring as a Phillie before the game.
We hope the Apple TV+ broadcast carries this ceremony, but we'll have to wait and see. Even if they carry the pre-game festivities, there's no way it will be able to compete with the programming that the local NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast would be able to put together. MLB may have really dropped the ball on this one.
#FridayNightBaseball on Apple TV+ comes back on March 29, and the schedule through June just dropped! https://t.co/QkxZJMQlHn pic.twitter.com/zZ4YQuekvQ
— MLB (@MLB) March 7, 2024
How to watch Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+
Unfortunately, you’re out of luck if you don’t subscribe to Apple TV+, as Apple has exclusive TV broadcast rights. After giving away the content for free in the premiere season in 2022, the service locked the broadcast behind its monthly subscription last year.
Apple TV+ costs $9.99/month but offers a free seven-day trial, so fans can watch at least one of the games for free.
Fans who don't already have the service and refuse to shell out the extra dough can still enjoy the game on the radio by tuning in to WIP 94.1 FM and WTTM 1680 AM.