The Phillies take on the Houston Astros in a repeat of last year’s World Series on Friday, but good luck finding the game on TV.
For the second time in a week, the Phillies game will get stuck behind a streaming service’s paywall. This time it’s Apple TV+ streaming Phillies Astros as part of it Friday night baseball Slate, which features two exclusive MLB games each week.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The Phillies just equaled their record 13-13 for the first time this season after winning their last series against the Seattle Mariners. Aaron Nola (1-2, 5.40 ERA) is expected to face the Astros in Houston, where he will face left frambler Valdez (2-2, 2.25 ERA).
If you want to avoid the hassle, you can listen to 94.1 WIP, with Scott Frantzke and Kevin Stocker calling all three games. But if you want to catch all the action, here’s everything you need to know about how to watch or stream this weekend’s Phillies games:
Friday night you need Apple TV+
First up is Friday’s game against the Astros, which will be streamed on Apple TV+.
Last year, the games were free to watch on the tech giant’s streaming platform – viewers just had to create an account. This year, Apple placed its MLB games behind its subscription wall, which costs $6.99 a month.
Apple is running a two-month free trial for all new users as long as you use this coupon. The Phillies’ second game schedule to stream exclusively on Apple TV+ is June 23 against the New York Mets, which would fall within the free trial period.
Once you set up an account, all you need to do is download the Apple TV+ app or watch the game on their website (Apple TV+ app is not available on Android phones). Here’s a full guide.
The game will be directed by play-by-play announcer Rich Waltz, who will be joined in the broadcast by analyst Ryan Spilborghs and reporter Tricia Whitaker.
If you don’t want to sign up for an Apple TV+ account, you might be able to find the game in Philadelphia bars and restaurants thanks to Apple’s distribution deal with DirecTV. Just call ahead to make sure.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The second game of the three-game series will return on NBC Sports Philadelphia on Saturday, with the first pitch scheduled for 5:10 p.m. and Tom McCarthy’s turn.
Phillies Pregame Livemoderated by Michael Barkann, scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m Phillies Postgame Live The finale follows immediately.
Zach Wheeler (2-1, 4.73 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Astros righty Christian Javier (2-0, 3.21 ERA).
Sunday’s game is back on ESPN
The Phillies will be back on ESPN Sunday night baseball for their final game of the series against the Astros.
The first pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be called out by ESPN announcers Karl Ravech, David Cone and Eduardo Perez.
The Phillies appeared on ESPN earlier this month when rehab thug Bryce Harper caught announcers’ attention with a pitch clock comment during an in-game interview.
“I know a lot of players who want our game back, right?” Harper said when asked if he could get used to the pitch clock when returning from injury. “From now on it is what it is.”
While Harper has made a faster-than-expected recovery from Tommy John surgery in November, there’s no public timeline for his return. Harper and the team have said they tend to skip a minor league rehab assignment entirely.
“If I slide feet first and hit the floor with my right arm, it’s the same thing,” Harper told reporters last week. “I could sprain my arm and be out for five, six, seven months. There’s no reason to rush this. I have to be smart about what I do. I’m not going to rush anything out there because there’s no use in our organization if I come back the quickest and not the smartest.”
» READ MORE: Phillies get positive news over starter Taijuan Walker’s sore right forearm
Phillies upcoming schedule
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Phillies at Houston Astros
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Game 1: Friday, 8:10 p.m. (Apple TV+)
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Game 2: Saturday 5:10 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Game 3: Sunday, 7:10 p.m. (ESPN, WIP)
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Phillies at the Los Angeles Dodgers
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Game 1: Monday 10:10 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Game 2: Tuesday 10:10 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Game 3: Wednesday 4:10 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Red Sox at Phillies
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Game 1: Friday, May 5, 7:05 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Game 2: Saturday, May 6, 7:15 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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Game 3: Sunday, May 7, 1:35 p.m. (NBCSP, WIP)
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