MLB Network served as the national television home for the debut of Baltimore Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday, the top-ranked prospect in the minor leagues, as he took the field to face the Boston Red Sox. Although Holliday did not end up recording a hit in the game, there was considerable interest surrounding the game that translated into viewership. The matchup was the second most-watched regular season game in MLB Network history with an average of 626,000 viewers. The 20-year-old infielder recorded his first career RBI on a groundout en route to a 7-5 Orioles victory. John Ourand of Puck News was first to report the viewership figure, which was representative of an out-of-market measurement.
The presentation of the Orioles vs. Red Sox game came a day before the MLB Network Showcase broadcast from Fenway Park featuring the regular-season debut of play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian. Holliday did not collect a hit in this contest, but the game extended into extra innings where the Orioles scored six runs in the top of the 10th inning to secure a 9-4 victory.
MLB Network will present a rematch of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Friday night when the Texas Rangers visit the Houston Astros from Minute Maid Park at 8 p.m. EST. Preceding that game broadcast will be the season premiere of Off Base at 4 p.m. EST, followed by Intentional Talk from 5 to 6 p.m. and MLB Tonight until the start of the game broadcast at 8 p.m. MLB Network will also premiere MLB Tonight: Clubhouse Edition, a non-traditional game telecast series entering its fourth season, on Jackie Robinson Day, Monday, April 15, when the Atlanta Braves face the Houston Astros at 8 p.m. EST.
For the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), the regional sports network that serves as the television home of both the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, Holliday’s debut drew an average of 114,000 viewers in the Baltimore designated market area. The metric is 27% higher than the average audience for MASN season-to-date. The team is returning home to Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Friday night to begin a six-game homestand with matchups against the Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins.
