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Apple’s Friday Night Baseball now requires an Apple TV+ subscription

Apple today dropped the first details for its Friday night coverage of the upcoming Major League Baseball season. And while the games themselves are the most important part, a close second is tha, starting with the April 7 games, you’ll need a subscription to Apple TV+ if you want to watch.

Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+.
Apple

The change isn’t overly surprising, and other games on other networks will still otherwise be available in their own ways. Apple TV+ costs $7 a month if you want it on its own, or you can snag it for free as part of an Apple One subscription, which also gets you other things like Apple Music, Apple News, Apple Arcade, and more. And some T-Mobile subscribers can still get Apple TV+ for free as part of their wireless plans.

Back to the baseball, though. Apple’s streams start o April 7 with the Texas Rangers at the Chicago Cubs (in a day game, no less). That’ll be followed up with San Diego at Atlanta in the nightcap. And starting March 30, Apple TV+ will have MLB Opening Day and the MLB Big Inning whiparound show for even more in-game coverage.

“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,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said in a press release. “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.”

And if you’re the sort who prefers to spend Friday evenings away from home, but don’t want to miss the games, Apple TV+ has worked with DirecTV to provide streams of the games at more than 300,000 bars and restaurants, just as it’s doing for MLS Season Pass.

Here’s the full first-half schedule for Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+. All times are Eastern.

April 7

  • Texas Rangers at Chicago Cubs, 2 p.m.
  • San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves, 7 p.m.

April 14

  • San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers, 6:30 p.m.
  • Los Angles Angels at Boston Red Sox, 7 p.m.

April 21

  • Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees, 7 p.m.
  • Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves, 7 p.m.

April 28

  • Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros, 8 p.m.
  • St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers, 10 p.m.

May 5

  • Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati Reds, 6:30 p.m.
  • Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians, 7 p.m.

May 12

  • Kansas City Royals at Milwaukee Brewers, 8 p.m.
  • Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins, 8 p.m.

May 19

  • Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays, 7 p.m.
  • Seattle Mariners at Atlanta Braves, 7 p.m.

May 26

  • Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers, 6:30 p.m.
  • San Diego Padres at New York Yankees, 7 p.m.

June 2

  • Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds, 5 p.m.
  • Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins, 8 p.m.

June 9

  • Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles, 7 p.m.
  • Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels, 9:30 p.m.

June 16

  • Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers, 8 p.m.
  • Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners, 10 p.m.

June 23

  • Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins, 6:30 p.m.
  • New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies, 7 p.m.

June 30

  • Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates, 7 p.m.
  • Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Angels, 9:30 p.m.

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