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Apple TV Plus' First MLB Doubleheader Will Be on April 8

Max Scherzer's Mets debut against the Washington Nationals will air on Apple TV Plus.

Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor
Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.
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Eli Blumenthal
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Apple's live streaming of Friday night baseball games will begin during the first weekend of the MLB season. On Tuesday the tech giant announced the initial 12-week schedule for its new MLB partnership, with the first doubleheader set for April 8 featuring the New York Mets at Washington Nationals at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) followed by the Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels at 9:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. PT). 

Apple says these games, as well as all matchups it airs during the first 12 weeks of the baseball season, will be available to "anyone with internet access, for free, only on Apple TV Plus." 

Apple TV Plus is the company's streaming video service and a rival to Disney Plus, Netflix and HBO Max. It normally runs $5 per month for access to its library TV shows and movies, though with its MLB deal the iPhone-maker is branching out into the world of live sports. 

Apple has Apple TV Plus apps for its own iPhone, iPad, Macs and Apple TVs and also makes Apple TV apps for rival platforms including Google's Android TV and Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV as well as Samsung and LG's respective smart TV operating systems. It does not, however, have an app for Android phones and tablets, and it remains to be seen if the company will allow baseball fans on those devices to access these games. 

Apple similarly has not said which broadcasters will be calling the games, though in its release it promises that "presentation details including additional game schedules through the regular season, broadcast teams, production enhancements, and pre- and post-game coverage" will be revealed "at a later date."

CNET has reached out to Apple for additional details and will update if they respond. 

Below is the full schedule for Apple's first 12 weeks of baseball games (all times ET). 

Friday, April 8

New York Mets at Washington Nationals
7 p.m. ET
Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, April 15

Tampa Bay Rays at Chicago White Sox
7 p.m. ET
Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers
10 p.m. ET

Friday, April 22

St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds
6:30 p.m. ET
Texas Rangers at Oakland Athletics
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, April 29

New York Yankees at Kansas City Royals
8 p.m. ET
Washington Nationals at San Francisco Giants
10 p.m. ET

Friday, May 6

Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox
7 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rays at Seattle Mariners
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, May 13

San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves
7 p.m. ET
Chicago Cubs at Arizona Diamondbacks
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, May 20

St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates
6:30 p.m. ET
Texas Rangers at Houston Astros
8 p.m. ET

Friday, May 27

Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox
7 p.m. ET
Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 3

Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
7 p.m. ET
Atlanta Braves at Colorado Rockies
8:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 10

Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins
8 p.m. ET
New York Mets at Los Angeles Angels
9:30 p.m. ET

Friday, June 17

Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros
8 p.m. ET
Cleveland Guardians at Los Angeles Dodgers
10 p.m. ET

Friday, June 24

Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
8 p.m. ET
Detroit Tigers at Arizona Diamondbacks
9:30 p.m. ET