The Guardians took two out of three against the Twins before stunning the baseball world in claiming Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Matt Moore off waivers from the Angels. To keep the momentum going, they’ll host a red-hot Rays team that has been putting other fringe playoff contenders out of business.
Tampa Bay has won six straight series, beating the Guardians, Giants, Angels, Rockies, Yankees and Marlins, and is currently riding a four-game winning streak. Cleveland is also coming into the series hot, having taken two of three from both the Blue Jays and the Twins.
Tyler Glasnow will be taking the hill for the Rays to face the Guardians, who will counter with Cal Quantrill. Glasnow heads into the matchup with a 3.12 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 86.2 innings. He last pitched against Cleveland in the 2022 wild card series, when he delivered five scoreless innings with only two hits allowed and five strikeouts.
Quantrill, on the other hand, will be making his return from the injured list after dealing with inflammation in his shoulder. He has struggled in the majors this season, having posted a 6.45 ERA in 67 innings with 38 strikeouts and 22 walks, but he delivered seven scoreless innings in his last rehab outing with six strikeouts and four hits.
MORE: Watch ‘Friday Night Baseball’ tonight on Apple TV+ (free trial)
The Rays, sitting at 82-52, are all but certain to reach the playoffs, but continue to battle for the AL East title and the No. 1 seed in the American League. Even with the recent series wins against Toronto and Minnesota, Cleveland will need some help, trailing the Twins in the AL Central by five games.
Here’s what you need to know to watch the Guardians host the Rays on Friday night.
What channel is Rays vs. Guardians on tonight?
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Friday night’s game between the Guardians and Rays will be broadcast on Apple TV+, the exclusive home of “Friday Night Baseball” for the 2023 MLB season.
What time is Rays vs. Guardians tonight?
- First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET
Guardians vs. Rays is set to start at 7:10 p.m. ET from Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Apple TV+ will have pregame coverage throughout the day with curated articles for each team and MLB. Fans can watch the “Countdown to First Pitch” pregame show 15 minutes prior to the start of the game.
Apple TV+ will broadcast another game on Friday night: Mariners vs. Mets, which will also be at 7:10 p.m. ET.
How to live stream Rays vs. Guardians
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Rays vs. Guardians will be available exclusively through Apple TV+, but there are still different ways to stream the game. Apple TV+ is available to stream on your phone, tablet, computer and smart TV, as well as streaming devices such as Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV stick.
How much does Apple TV+ cost?
The service starts at $6.99 a month in the U.S. Yearly subscriptions begin at $69. In Canada, a monthly subscription is $8.99 CAD.
Last season, the service was free for those trying to watch “Friday Night Baseball,” but that is no longer an option. Apple does offer a seven-day free trial for new sign-ups, but you will need a subscription to watch MLB’s “Friday Night Baseball” games beyond that.
The service is also home to the hit show “Ted Lasso,” among other original series. It also operates MLS Season Pass, which allows fans to watch every MLS game without blackout restrictions, for an additional fee.
Apple TV+ ‘Friday Night Baseball’ 2023 schedule
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 1 | Seattle Mariners vs. New York Mets | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 8 | St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds | 6:30 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 8 | San Diego Padres vs. Houston Astros | 8 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 15 | Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 15 | Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals | 8 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 22 | New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, Sept. 22 | San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers | 10 p.m. |
