MLB Network to air 18 hours of live opening week coverage Thursday, July 23 through Friday, July 24

July 22, 2020 – As the 2020 Major League Baseball season is set to begin, MLB Network will air a combined 18 hours of live studio content from tomorrow, July 23 through Friday, July 24. Six different studio programs will air live over the next two days, beginning tomorrow at 10 a.m. EDT with the season return of MLB Central presented by Hyundai, co-hosted by Robert Flores, Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi. High Heat with Christopher Russo presented by Liberty Mutual will air at 1 p.m. EDT, followed by MLB Tonight presented by Mastercard, Geico and T-Mobile at 2 p.m. EDT and 6 p.m. EDT. MLB Now hosted by Brian Kenny airs at 4 p.m. EDT, and Chris Rose and Kevin Millar will begin their 10th season co-hosting Intentional Talk presented by Papa John’s at 5 p.m. EDT. Quick Pitch presented by Blue Emu will conclude Thursday’s action at 11 p.m. EDT. As part of its studio programming tomorrow, MLB Network will debut the following Opening Week tease on the start of the season, written by MLB Network’s Tom Verducci and narrated by award-winning actor and diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan Jon Hamm.

In addition to its studio programming, MLB Network will air at least one live game for eight out of the first eleven days of the season, beginning with an Opening Day MLB Network Showcase telecast presented by Chevrolet of the Detroit Tigers at Cincinnati Reds this Friday, July 24 at 6 p.m. EDT. MLB Network’s Scott Braun and John Smoltz will call the game live from MLB Network’s studios, while reporter Jon Morosi will contribute to the broadcast on-site in Cincinnati. MLB Network will also air two MLB Network Showcase game telecasts this weekend, including the Pittsburgh Pirates at St. Louis Cardinals this Saturday, July 25 at 2 p.m. EDT, called by Stephen Nelson and Tom Verducci from MLB Network, and Morosi reporting from St. Louis. On Sunday, July 26 at 4 p.m. EDT, Braun and Smoltz will call the scheduled season pitching debut of the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani against the Oakland Athletics. MLB Network’s complete game schedule through Sunday, August 2, which includes seven MLB Network Showcase telecasts, is available here and below.

On what would have been National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony day, MLB Network will air a special Cooperstown: The Class of Baseball program this Sunday, July 26 at 9 p.m. EDT. The one-hour show will focus on some of the most memorable Induction Weekends, including the first one in 1939 that featured Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner. Featured will be the 1999 class of three first-ballot Hall of Famers in George Brett, Nolan Ryan and Robin Yount, the record-setting crowd on hand to honor 2007 inductees Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr., and the only time there were three first-ballot pitchers, when Randy Johnson and MLB Network analysts John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez, were enshrined in 2015.

As announced yesterday, MLB Network will air a new edition of MLB Tonight: A Conversation tonight at 6 p.m. EDT. Hosted by MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds, the new 90-minute special edition of MLB Tonight will continue to cover the issues around racial injustice and inequality in society and baseball, with insight from distinguished guests, including CC Sabathia, Curtis Granderson, Dee Gordon, Edwin Jackson, Cameron Maybin and Willie Randolph. A preview of the program can be viewed here.

Regular Season Studio Schedule

(All times Eastern)

10 a.m.: MLB Central
1 p.m.: High Heat
2 p.m.: The Rundown
4 p.m.: MLB Now
5 p.m.: Intentional Talk
6 p.m.: MLB Tonight
1 a.m.: Quick Pitch

*All times are subject to change and all games are subject to local blackout unless otherwise noted.