One day into the Houston Astros‘ season and fans will have to navigate MLB’s byzantine national TV packages.
Friday’s 7:15 p.m. game against the Los Angeles Angels at Daikin Park will not be broadcast or streamed on Space City Home Network, the Astros’ usual carrier.
Instead, the game will stream exclusively on Apple TV to kick off the streamer’s fifth season of MLB Friday night games. An Apple TV subscription is required to watch. A subscription costs $12.99 a month plus tax, with a free seven-day trial offered to qualified new and returning subscribers.
Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst) and Tricia Whitaker (field reporter) will call the game.
Friday is one of two Apple TV games for the Astros during the first half of the schedule. The May 22 game in Chicago against the Cubs, with a 1:20 p.m. first pitch at Wrigley Field, also is an Apple exclusive.
The Astros have one other scheduled streaming exclusive this season: the July 5 home game against Tampa Bay that will air on Peacock at 2:30 p.m. as part of “Star Spangled Sunday” on NBC and Peacock, which joined MLB’s group of national rightsholders this season.