The Phillies keep pulling away in the NL wild-card race. And yesterday, they didn't even play.
Philadelphia controls the top wild card in the National League, and it benefitted from losses by the Diamondbacks, Reds and Marlins, all of whom are in the hunt for a postseason spot, on Thursday.
The rest of the season, the Phillies face only one team remaining with a winning record: that would be the juggernaut Braves. Before Atlanta? That would be a three-game series against the Cardinals, starting on Friday with Aaron Nola taking on Zack Thompson.
MORE: Watch 'Friday Night Baseball' tonight on Apple TV+ (free trial)
Nola is wrapping up his final year on his current contract before hitting free agency in the offseason, and it has been a disappointing year for a pitcher who three times has finished in the top 10 in Cy Young voting. Nola is currently working to a 4.64 ERA, the second-worst of his career (4.78 in 2016), and 185 to 44 walks in 176.1 innings of work. He pitched a gem in his lone start against St. Louis, however, allowing just one hit and one walk across seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts on Aug. 27.
In a down year for the Cardinals, St. Louis has had the chance to see some younger arms take on larger roles. One of those young players is Zack Thompson, the team's 2019 first-round pick. Thompson has made six starts in 22 appearances, notching a 4.06 ERA in 51 innings with 59 strikeouts so far in 2023. The 25-year-old southpaw has not faced the Phillies.
Here's everything you need to know to watch the Phillies take on the Cardinals on Friday.
What channel is Phillies vs. Cardinals on tonight?
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Friday night's game between the Phillies and Cardinals will be broadcast on Apple TV+, the exclusive home of "Friday Night Baseball" for the 2023 MLB season.
What time is Phillies vs. Cardinals tonight?
- First pitch: 8:15 p.m. ET
Phillies vs. Cardinals is set to start at 8:15 p.m. ET from Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
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: Rays vs. Orioles, which will be at 7:05 p.m. ET.
How to live stream Phillies vs. Cardinals
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Phillies vs. Cardinals 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 | Game | Time (ET) |
| 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. |
