AL Central gets spotlight in latest 'Friday Night Baseball' slate on Apple TV
“Friday Night Baseball” on Apple TV is back for 2026! This week's slate features a quartet of American League teams, including the AL Central leaders and a pair of other teams from that division looking to put themselves in the playoff picture.
Guardians at Rangers, 8:15 p.m. (WATCH HERE)
The AL Central-leading Guardians have been alone in first place since May 6, but have yet to pull away as the upstart White Sox continue to nip at their heels. Cleveland is just 5-5 over its past 10 games, but just took two of three from the Yankees in New York, signaling that a return to positive consistency could be on the way. Tonight, the Guardians open a series with the Rangers, who also find themselves in the thick of the AL playoff chase. Cleveland, led by perennial MVP candidate José Ramírez, will send AL Rookie of the Year candidate Parker Messick (6-1, 2.21 ERA) to the mound hoping he can continue his stellar campaign. The lefty has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his previous five starts and the team is 9-3 in his appearances this season. Texas will counter with righty Kumar Rocker (2-5, 3.54 ERA), who is coming off six scoreless innings against the Royals last week.
Royals at Twins, 8:15 p.m. (WATCH HERE)
Both Kansas City (25-38) and Minnesota (29-35) hoped this season would mean a return to playoff contention. And while both remain within shouting distance of an AL Wild Card spot, neither team has performed to expectations so far in 2026. But each can help their case with a strong showing in this series, which could potentially have postseason implications by the end of the season. The Royals took the opener of the four-game set on Thursday, so the Twins will look to even things tonight as righty Zebby Matthews (1-3, 4.63 ERA) looks to rebound after a seven-run outing against the Pirates on Sunday. The Royals will send veteran righty Michael Wacha to the mound. He's also coming off a rough outing in which he allowed six earned runs against the Rangers last weekend. But both pitchers have some powerful bats to provide support. For Kansas City, MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. hit seven homers and posted an .853 OPS in May, while Minnesota slugger Byron Buxton, who homered in Thursday's game, put up a .994 OPS last month.
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With MLB and Apple continuing their partnership in 2026, Apple TV will once again be bringing baseball fans a weekly Friday night doubleheader. “Friday Night Baseball,” which includes live pre- and postgame shows, will stream exclusively on Apple TV and be free from local broadcast restrictions.
How can I watch?
Fans with an Apple TV subscription can access “Friday Night Baseball” through the Apple TV app by choosing any of these three options:
- Launch the Apple TV app and select the game directly from there.
- From the MLB.TV app, tap on Apple TV Game to be redirected to the Apple TV app (where available).
- Visit https://tv.apple.com/ and log in with or create an Apple ID.
Do I need to pay to watch live games on Apple TV?
Yes. An Apple TV subscription is required to view live games.
Do I need an Apple account to watch the games?
Yes. You need to have an Apple ID. Your Apple ID is the account you use across all your Apple devices, including your iPhone. Learn how to create a new Apple ID here.
How do I sign in to watch the games on Apple TV?
Log in with your Apple ID. Learn how to watch Friday Night Baseball here.
On what devices can I watch the games?
See all the ways to watch Apple TV here.
What if I have a question about Apple TV?
If you have any questions regarding your account, subscription or other issues, click here.