MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube was the presentation of Major League Baseball (MLB) games live on the video sharing and social media platform YouTube. Games were produced by the league-owned MLB Network. Games generally streamed in the afternoon on weekdays.
History On April 30, 2019, Major League Baseball and YouTube agreed to a partnership for 13 exclusive baseball games. The agreement was essentially a replacement to an earlier deal with Facebook Watch, which was criticized for requiring a Facebook account to access and for having too clunky of an interface. The YouTube games would feature a pre and post game show, alongside the game, all produced by MLB Network. There was no requirement for a YouTube account to access the game. The first game streamed was between the Phillies and the Dodgers on July 18, 2019. After the season, MLB said they averaged 130,000 viewers per telecast. The August 7, Dodgers-Cardinals telecast saw the highest peak of 320,000 live viewers.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting reduction of the 2020 MLB season to 60 games, MLB on YouTube only showed 4 games, all in September, during the 2020 season. Two of these games were exclusive to the platform, while two others were shown in tandem with local regional sports networks.
For the 2021 MLB season, MLB on YouTube returned with 21 exclusive games. During the season YouTube produced two special broadcasts. On June 30, YouTube featured a special stat focused statcast broadcast between the Mariners and Blue Jays. YouTube's game between the Orioles and Rays on July 20 featured the first all-female announcing crew on an MLB broadcast. Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Sarah Langs (color commentator), Heidi Watney and Lauren Gardner (pre- and postgame show co-hosts) were back at MLB Network studios while Alanna Rizzo was the reporter at Tropicana Field.
On April 14, 2022, Major League Baseball announced that YouTube would have 15 exclusive games for the 2022 MLB season. Unlike previous years which featured a rotating broadcasting crew, Scott Braun handled all play–by–play duties and Yonder Alonso handled all color commentating. For the August 17, 2022 broadcast between the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners, an alternate broadcast hosted by Lauren Gardner and Cameron Maybin was also produced. The broadcast featured celebrity guests such as Bill Nye, Joel McHale and Kenny Mayne, among others.
The series did not return in 2023. Though not directly related, YouTube TV dropped MLB Network due to a carriage dispute prior to the season.
Commentators Play-by-play Scott Braun (2019–2022) Brian Kenny (2021) Stephen Nelson (2019–2021) Melanie Newman (2021) Matt Vasgersian (2021) Rich Waltz (2019)
Color commentators
Jeremy Affeldt (2019, 2021) Yonder Alonso (2021–2022) Geoff Blum (2021) Eric Byrnes (2019) Sean Casey (2019–2021) Ben Davis (2019) Rajai Davis (2021) Mark DeRosa (2021) Matt Diaz (2019) Tim Dillard (2021)
Shawn Estes (2019, 2021) Cliff Floyd (2019) John Franco (2021) Nomar Garciaparra (2019) Danny Graves (2021) Mark Gubicza (2021) Jeremy Guthrie (2021) Jerry Hairston (2021) Orel Hershiser (2019) LaTroy Hawkins (2021)
Mark Langston (2019) Al Leiter (2019) Kyle Lohse (2019) Justin Maxwell (2019) Jason Marquis (2019) Buck Martinez (2019) Kevin Millar (2020) Sarah Langs (2021) Mark Langston (2019) Justin Morneau (2019)
Carlos Peña (2019, 2022) Dan Plesac (2019–2021) Ryan Rowland-Smith (2021) F. P. Santangelo (2019) Buck Showalter (2021) John Smoltz (2020) Jim Thome (2019) B.J. Upton (2019) Tom Verducci (2019, 2021) Chris Young (2021)
Broadcasts The pre- and postgame shows were each 30 minutes in duration. The former was broadcast from MLB Network studios while the latter was handled by the broadcasters who also present the Player of the Game trophy which is based on viewer voting.
2021 +DateAway teamHome teamTime (ET)ScorePlayer of the GameWednesday, April 7, 2021Tampa Bay RaysBoston Red Sox1:00 p.m.Rays 2, Red Sox 9Nathan EovaldiThursday, April 22, 2021Los Angeles AngelsHouston Astros8:00 p.m.Angels 2, Astros 8Cristian JavierWednesday, April 28, 2021Minnesota TwinsCleveland Indians1:00 p.m.Twins 10, Indians 2Byron BuxtonThursday, May 6, 2021Atlanta BravesWashington Nationals4:00 p.m.Braves 3, Nationals 2Drew SmylyThursday, May 13, 2021St. Louis CardinalsMilwaukee Brewers1:30 p.m.Cardinals 2, Brewers 0Jack FlahertyThursday, May 20, 2021San Francisco GiantsCincinnati Reds12:30 p.m.Giants 19, Reds 4Brandon CrawfordThursday, May 27, 2021Philadelphia PhilliesMiami Marlins12:00 p.m.Phillies 3, Marlins 2Rhys HoskinsWednesday, June 2, 2021New York MetsArizona Diamondbacks3:30 p.m.Mets 7, Diamondbacks 6James McCannThursday, June 10, 2021Los Angeles DodgersPittsburgh Pirates12:30 p.m.Dodgers 6, Pirates 3 (8 innings)Mookie BettsThursday, June 17, 2021Detroit TigersLos Angeles Angels9:30 p.m.Tigers 5, Angels 7Shohei OhtaniTuesday, June 22, 2021Oakland AthleticsTexas Rangers8:00 p.m.Athletics 13, Rangers 6Matt ChapmanWednesday, June 30, 2021Seattle MarinersToronto Blue Jays7:00 p.m.Mariners 9, Blue Jays 7 (10 innings)Dylan MooreFriday, July 9, 2021Cincinnati RedsMilwaukee Brewers8:00 p.m.Reds 2, Brewers 0Wade MileyTuesday, July 20, 2021Baltimore OriolesTampa Bay Rays7:00 p.m.Orioles 3, Rays 9Francisco MejíaWednesday, August 11, 2021Chicago White SoxMinnesota Twins1:00 p.m.White Sox 0, Twins 1Jorge PolancoTuesday, August 17, 2021Toronto Blue JaysWashington Nationals7:00 p.m.Blue Jays 6, Nationals 12Riley AdamsWednesday, August 25, 2021Kansas City RoyalsHouston Astros2:00 p.m.Royals 5, Astros 6 (10 innings)Jake MeyersThursday, September 2, 2021Milwaukee BrewersSan Francisco Giants3:30 p.m.Brewers 1, Giants 5Logan WebbWednesday, September 8, 2021Seattle MarinersHouston Astros2:00 p.m.Mariners 8, Astros 5José MarmolejosFriday, September 17, 2021Oakland AthleticsLos Angeles Angels9:30 p.m.Athletics 5, Angels 4Matt OlsonThursday, September 23, 2021St. Louis CardinalsMilwaukee Brewers2:00 p.m.Cardinals 8, Brewers 5Paul Goldschmidt
2022 +DateAway teamHome teamTime (ET)ScorePlayer of the GameThursday, May 5, 2022Washington NationalsColorado Rockies3:00 p.m.Nationals 7, Rockies 9Brendan RodgersWednesday, May 11, 2022Milwaukee BrewersCincinnati Reds12:30 p.m.Brewers 11, Reds 14Tyler StephensonWednesday, May 18, 2022Pittsburgh PiratesChicago Cubs7:30 p.m.Pirates 3, Cubs 2Jack SuwinskiWednesday, May 25, 2022Detroit TigersMinnesota Twins1:00 p.m.Tigers 4, Twins 2Harold CastroWednesday, June 1, 2022Kansas City RoyalsCleveland Guardians1:00 p.m.Royals 0, Guardians 4Konnor PilkingtonWednesday, June 8, 2022Toronto Blue JaysKansas City Royals2:00 p.m.Blue Jays 4, Royals 8Carlos SantanaWednesday, June 15, 2022Minnesota TwinsSeattle Mariners4:00 p.m.Twins 5, Mariners 0Luis ArráezThursday, June 30, 2022Tampa Bay RaysToronto Blue Jays7:00 p.m.Rays 1, Blue Jays 4Teoscar HernándezWednesday, July 13, 2022Milwaukee BrewersMinnesota Twins1:00 p.m.Brewers 1, Twins 4José MirandaJose Miranda YouTube Player of the Game Interview, Wednesday, July 13, 2022 – YouTube (via LetsWinTwins). Retrieved September 1, 2022.Wednesday, July 27, 2022Minnesota TwinsMilwaukee Brewers2:00 p.m.Twins 4, Brewers 10Rowdy TellezThursday, August 11, 2022Texas RangersHouston Astros2:00 p.m.Rangers 3, Astros 7Framber ValdezWednesday, August 17, 2022Seattle MarinersLos Angeles Angels4:00 p.m. Mariners 11, Angels 7Cal RaleighWicke, Tyler. "Mariners notes: Raleigh emerges in catching role as M’s sweep Halos, drop set to A’s," The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA), Sunday, August 21, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.Thursday, August 25, 2022Cleveland GuardiansSeattle Mariners4:00 p.m. Guardians 1, Mariners 3Mitch HanigerMitch Haniger holds the YouTube Player of the Game trophy, Thursday, August 25, 2022 – Twitter (via Seattle Mariners). Retrieved September 1, 2022.Thursday, September 1, 2022Kansas City RoyalsChicago White Sox2:00 p.m. Royals 1, White Sox 7Johnny CuetoThursday, September 8, 2022Cincinnati RedsChicago Cubs2:00 p.m.Reds 4, Cubs 3Jonathan India
Viewership The following is a list of the 10 most viewed MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube games. Viewership is based on the publicly available viewership counter on YouTube.com.
+DateAway teamHome teamViewershipLinkAugust 8, 2019Philadelphia PhilliesSan Francisco Giants3.9MJune 10, 2021Los Angeles DodgersPittsburgh Pirates2.7MJune 18, 2019Los Angeles DodgersPhiladelphia Phillies2.2MJune 17, 2021Detroit TigersLos Angeles Angels2MAugust 7, 2019St. Louis CardinalsLos Angeles Dodgers1.7MJune 30, 2021Seattle MarinersToronto Blue Jays1.5MJuly 23, 2019Cleveland IndiansToronto Blue Jays1.3MApril 22, 2021Los Angeles AngelsHouston Astros1.3MSeptember 17, 2019Tampa Bay RaysLos Angeles Dodgers1.2MMay 13, 2021St. Louis CardinalsMilwaukee Brewers1.1M
References
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