Major League Baseball and BBC Sport are set to deliver an action-packed baseball spectacle as they bring a blockbuster line-up of FOUR back-to-back MLB Postseason games from the American League Division Series (ALDS) and National League Division Series (NLDS). The aptly named MLB Saturday Showdown is scheduled for Saturday, October 7th from 18:00 BST.
This broadcast event, available for live streaming on BBC iPlayer, the Red Button, and BBC Sport website and app, will showcase the inaugural games of the ALDS and NLDS, which are part of a best-of-five game series. To customise for the UK audience, the presentation concept introduces an alternative commentary team led by some of the most renowned voices in baseball:
- Melanie Newman (Apple TV+ Friday Night Baseball)
- Xavier Scruggs (MLB Network host and former St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins player)
- Matt Vasgersian (MLB Network and Fox Sports host)
- Jake Peavy (former San Diego Padre ace and World Series-winning former pitcher with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox)
Joining this stellar line-up is the British musician, author, and broadcaster, Felix White, who will provide colour commentary, leaning into over a year’s worth of experiences with MLB and his connection and passion for baseball’s closest UK sporting comparison, cricket. Felix is no stranger to the BBC Sport’s MLB coverage, having previously covered marquee matchups, including the Red Sox vs. Yankees, Dodgers vs. Cardinals, and the MLB World Tour: London Series 2023 – a two-game series (Cardinals vs. Cubs) that enthralled fans at London Stadium earlier this year.
For Felix, this marathon coverage marks his fourth outing in the baseball commentary role. Over approximately 12 hours of continuous baseball action, he will serve as the bridge connecting UK fans and newcomers to the sport with the seasoned experts surrounding him. His mission, to ensure that baseball is presented in an accessible and entertaining manner, leaving no one behind in understanding the nuances and intricacies of a sport steadily gaining popularity across the UK.
In addition to the specialised commentary, there will also be unique interstitials throughout MLB Saturday Showdown, targeted at educating new fans while also providing content that will appeal further to the localised audience. One series within this will feature to Six-time MLB All-Star, Chase Utley, who will help to guide cricket superstar Stuart Broad as he takes up the challenge of learning what it takes to play baseball. The series will explore the similarities and differences between cricket and baseball and builds on the cross promotional work that has taken place with Harry Brook and Issy Wong.
MLB Saturday Showdown is a continuation of the strong partnership between BBC Sport and MLB. In 2019, BBC Sport collaborated with MLB to broadcast the Mitel and MLB Present London Series, and in 2022, committed to a five-year deal with MLB, ensuring that regular season games and the London Series in 2023, 2024, and 2026 will continue to captivate audiences.
UK fans will be able to follow the full Postseason on TNT Sports, with BBC Sport also covering Game 1 of the World Series on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app from Saturday 7th October.
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