Phillies won’t play on NBC Sports Philadelphia the next few nights amid playoff push
With the NL East appearing out of reach, the Phillies are in a fight for the top wild-card spot.

The Phillies kick off a four-game series with the New York Mets Thursday, but fans will need to do a bit of channel surfing to catch all the games.
Thursday night’s game will air on Fox beginning at 7:15 p.m., with Kenny Albert and Tom Verducci calling all the action. Ken Rosenthal will report from Citi Field.
Aaron Nola (6-10, 4.69 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for the Phillies. Nola hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a start since way back on July 22, when he gave up five to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’ll face Mets rookie Nolan McLean (11-9, 3.24 ERA), who gave up just two hits and struck out 10 in a win against the Phillies on July 19.
On Friday, the Phillies jump off TV and onto streaming for their final appearance on Apple TV’s Friday Night Baseball this season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m., with Alex Faust and Ryan Spilborghs on the call and Tricia Whitaker reporting from the stadium.
Apple TV also has its own pregame show hosted by Sierra Santos alongside former outfielder Chris Young and MLB insider Russell Dorsey.
It’s the fifth season of Apple TV’s seven-year, $595 million deal with MLB, which runs through the 2028 season. Over that time, the cost has nearly doubled from $6.99 to $12.99 a month.
While Apple TV’s exclusive games remain an annoyance for baseball fans without the streaming service, they do come with one important perk — the ability to switch the audio feed over to 94.1 WIP and Scott Franzke and Kevin Stocker calls.
The quality of Apple TV’s broadcast is also generally very good, with crystal-clear footage and minimalist graphics (though the constant probabilities and live gambling updates become a bit annoying).
The final two games of the Phillies-Mets series will be back on NBC Sports Philadelphia Saturday or Sunday. With Tom McCarthy calling Sunday’s NFL matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on CBS, it’ll be Franzke calling the games alongside former Phillies general manager turned announcer Rubén Amaro Jr.
John Kruk will be back Tuesday along with McCarthy to call the Phillies’ series against the Milwaukee Brewers, the second-to-last of the season. And World Series MVP-turned-broadcaster Cole Hamels will be back in the booth for the final Phillies game of the season on Sept. 27 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Phillies playoff picture
NL East standings
There was a moment where it seemed like the Phillies might overtake the Braves in the standings. But after dropping two of three against Atlanta last weekend, the Phillies’ chances of winning the National League East appear distant as best.
The Phillies enter Thursday’s series opener against the Mets 4½ games behind the Braves with 10 remaining. Atlanta faces the AL West-leading Houston Astros this weekend, but finish the season against the lowly Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins. An epic collapse along the lines of the 1964 Phillies — who blew a 6½ game lead with 12 remaining — doesn’t seem likely.
NL wild-card standings
If the season ended Tuesday, the Phillies would end up in the second wild-card spot, meaning they’d travel to Chicago for a three-game series against the Cubs.
The good news is the Phillies are just a half-game down from the top wild-card spot entering Thursday. Overtaking the Cubs would move that three-game series to Citizens Bank Park.
The bad news is the Cubs, who are off Thursday, own the tiebreaker against the Phillies. Chicago kicks off a three-game series against the Reds Friday before finishing the season with series against the Marlins and Boston Red Sox.
The MLB playoffs begin Sept. 29 and will air on NBC.
Phillies magic number
That is the combined total of Phillies’ wins and/or losses by the teams on the outside looking in that are needed to secure at least the third wild-card berth and a spot in the playoffs.
» READ MORE: MLB playoff tracker: Phillies wild-card and NL East standings; updated magic number
Phillies news
Zack Wheeler delivers, but the Phillies offense continues to struggle.
With Jesús Luzardo out, Phillies hitters need to start earning their millions, writes columnist Marcus Hayes.
Andrew Painter’s potential role on a Phillies playoff staff? That remains uncertain.
Can Trea Turner rescue his season despite career-worst stats at the plate? His manager and teammates believe so.
Remaining Phillies TV schedule
Phillies at Mets
Game 1: Thursday, Sept. 17, 7:15 p.m. (Fox)
Game 2: Friday, Sept. 18, 7:10 p.m. (Apple TV)
Game 3: Saturday, Sept. 19, 4:10 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Game 4: Sunday, Sept. 20, 1:10 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Brewers at Phillies
Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 6:40 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Game 2: Wednesday, Sept. 23, 6:40 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Game 3: Thursday, Sept. 24, 6:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Rays at Phillies
Game 1: Friday, Sept. 25, 6:40 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
Game 2: Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:15 p.m. (Fox)
Game 3: Sunday, Sept. 27, 3:05 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

























