For Orioles fans without an Apple TV+ subscription, Friday night’s home game might feel more like standing in a stalled line outside the biggest party in town.
The 7:05 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Brewers will be the home debut for 2022 No. 1 overall pick and top prospect Jackson Holliday, who was called up Tuesday night to make his much-anticipated MLB debut. It’s also the first of three Orioles games through June to be broadcast on Apple TV+, a streaming service that requires a subscription. It’s an unlucky alignment of star and stream for viewers eager to see the wunderkind.
Freddie Leatherbury, of Catonsville, made sure he had tickets for such games. “I feel like a lot of the fan base is in the same boat as me,” he said, meaning they’re scrounging up tickets to avoid the hassle of another $9.99 per month streaming service subscription. Or, as he pointed out, a free trial that expires before you forget to cancel.
The 26-year-old was driving home from a softball game when he got word of Holliday’s promotion. On a quick pit stop at Royal Farms, he noticed X, formerly Twitter, blowing up with the news. He called it overwhelming happiness for an overdue roster move.
Holliday, the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, spent the first two weeks of the season in Triple-A with the Norfolk Tides. There, he slashed .333/.482/.595 with a pair of home runs in 10 games.
Many fans didn’t agree with the move to hold off on Holliday’s big league debut. The simple mention of his absence on opening day elicited a chorus of groans that March afternoon when the team optioned him to the minor leagues.
When Adley Rustchman debuted in the big leagues in May 2022, it was an early Saturday morning announcement — the same day as the Preakness. There was a quick turnaround for tickets. At least this time, Orioles fans without an Apple TV+ subscription have a few days to make plans to see their team’s newest star at Camden Yards. And for first 15,000 through the gates ages 15 and over, a commemorative T-shirt awaits.
You need this shirt. Your friend needs this shirt.
Leatherbury has heard “nothing but frustration” from Orioles fans outside of Baltimore. And for anyone who hopes to stream the game, there’s some sadness in unfamiliar voices calling such a memorable moment.
“You want your hometown announcers calling his debut. You want Kevin Brown. You want Ben McDonald. You want Jim Palmer,” Leatherbury said, referring to Mid-Atlantic Sports Network’s broadcasters.
Norfolk Tides infielder Jackson Holliday (18) makes a throw to first base from his knees. The Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders defeated the Norfolk Tides in the first game of the series at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia, on April 9, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Norfolk Tides Jackson Holliday (18) rounds second base after his leadoff homer in the first inning. The Norfolk Tides faced the Durham Bulls on opening day at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia, on March 29, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Norfolk Tides infielder Jackson Holliday signs autographs for fans before the start of the game. The Scranton Wilkes-Barre Railriders defeated the Norfolk Tides in the first game of the series at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia, on April 9, 2024. (Billy Schuerman / The Virginian-Pilot)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday plays in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Jackson Holliday, right, talks with first baseman Ryan O’Hearn during pitching change in first game of the Grapefruit League 2024 Spring Training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, left, forces out Red Sox Nathan Hickey in the fifth inning of the 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training season opener at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday takes infield practice before 2024 Grapefruit League Spring Training season opener against Boston at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday in 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday practices bunting during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias, left, watches Jackson Holliday take batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday, right, signs autographs for fans after live batting practice during 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Top prospect Jackson Holliday smoothes his hair as he waits for live batting practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday takes fielding practice during Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota , Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday smiles during batting practice at Orioles 2024 Spring Training at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fl. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)
Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, is seen during a press conference at Camden Yards.
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde gets a chance to meet Jackson Holliday the Orioles’ number one pick on the 2022 draft.
Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. He gets a chance to meet some of the players and take a few swings in the batting cage at Camden Yards before a game.
Orioles Adley Rutschman, left, was the Orioles number 1 pick in the 2019 draft, Former Oriole Ben McDonald was the Orioles number 1 pick in the 1989 amateur draft and Jackson Holliday was the Orioles No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.
Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft talks with Adley Rutschman who was the Orioles number 1 pick in the 2019 draft.
Jackson Holliday, the Orioles No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft takes some swings in the batting cage at Camden Yards before an Orioles game.
Baltimore Orioles selected Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. He gets a chance to meet some of the players and take a few swings in the batting cage at Camden Yards before a game.
Jackson Holliday, left, is with his father, former major leaguer Matt Holliday at Camden Yards. Holliday is the Orioles No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. He gets a chance to meet some of the players and take a few swings in the batting cage at Camden Yards before a game.
Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, left, is with his family, during a press conference at Camden Yards after he was introduced to the media.
Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, poses with Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Elias during a press conference at Camden Yards.
Baltimore Orioles introduce Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft during a press conference at Camden Yards.
Apple TV+ said Friday night’s broadcast group will feature Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst) — who was teammates with Matt Holliday, Jackson’s father and a seven-time MLB All-Star during his big league career — and Tricia Whitaker (sideline reporter), with coverage beginning at 6 p.m.
Last week’s “Friday Night Baseball” pregame show became the first in the sport with access to MLB’s Dugout app, according to a news release. The pregame show will feature former MLB player Xavier Scruggs using Dugout to analyze the stars of the games, alongside host Lauren Gardner and insider Russell Dorsey.
Rose Katz, of Columbia, made note of the streaming service on X about 30 minutes after ESPN reporter Jeff Passan broke the news of Holliday’s promotion. She’ll be at Friday’s game simply because there’s no way she’d miss such an important event.
Offhand, she rattled through the names of each of the four draft picks that followed Holliday: Druw Jones (Arizona Diamondbacks), Kumar Rocker (Texas Rangers), Termarr Johnson (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Elijah Green (Washington Nationals). Holliday is the first among them to reach the big leagues. In fact, he’s the first of that group to make it past A-ball.
But Katz is frustrated it’s on Apple TV+ rather than MASN or other streaming platforms, which she’s already forking over money for. “Other than Ted Lasso,” she said, “I can’t tell you other Apple TV shows that are super popular. … Maybe Severance.”
If Holliday was on the opening day roster as many fans hoped, Katz noted, it would have avoided this issue entirely.
“This is obviously a money-making deal,” Leatherbury added. “Not a fan-oriented decision.”
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