Phillies-Diamondbacks: Game time, channel, how to watch and stream MLB playoffs

The Phillies will face the Arizona Diamondbacks in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series that begins Monday at what should be a loud and energetic Citizens Bank Park.

Philly went 4-2 against the Diamondbacks this season, but they haven’t faced one another since June and Arizona hasn’t traveled to Philadelphia since before Memorial Day. Five of their seven games this season were decided by just one run.

» READ MORE: Live coverage: Phillies vs. Diamondbacks, Game 1

The Diamondbacks are in the same position the Phillies were last year, having entered the playoffs as the final wild-card team. They advanced by sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

You might be forgiven if you don’t remember Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo once wore a Phillies jersey. The former outfielder played in 17 games for the Phillies in 1999, including the final game of his eight-year MLB career at Veterans Stadium. He was also once a teammate of Phillies manager Rob Thomson nearly 40 years ago, while the two played for the Lakeland Tigers, the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch or stream Monday’s Phillies-Diamondbacks game:

Game 1 of Phillies-Diamondbacks is scheduled to begin at 8:07 p.m. Eastern on TBS and truTV.

Calling the game will be play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson and analyst Jeff Francoeur, who called the Phillies’ divisional series win over the Atlanta Braves. Joining them in the booth is former New York Mets pitcher Ron Darling, who called the Diamondbacks-Dodgers divisional series with veteran broadcaster Bob Costas and has seen his fair amount of Phillies games this season calling New York Mets games on SNY.

Matt Winer will report from both Citizens Bank Park and Chase Field in Phoenix.

Fox is airing both the American League Championship Series and the World Series.

Phillies fans looking for some local flair can tune into 94.1 WIP-FM, where longtime Phillies announcer Scott Franzke will call the game alongside Larry Andersen. They’ll be joined by Kevin Stocker and Tom McCarthy, the TV voice of the Phillies on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

You can either tune in on the radio or stream it for free on the Audacy app, making it easier to sync it up with the TV broadcast.

Bill Kulik and Oscar Budejen will call Phillies-Diamondbacks in Spanish on La Unika 1680 AM. A Spanish broadcast of the game will air on MLB Network, with Fernando Álvarez on play-by-play alongside analyst Carlos Peña.

Phillies-Diamondbacks will stream on the Max app, but you would need a subscription to both Max ($9.99 a month with ads) and the B/R Sports Add-On ($9.99 a month), though they are running a promo.

You also can stream the series on the TBS app, but you’ll need to log in with a cable subscription.

The games also will stream on any so-called skinny bundle that carries TBS, including YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and DirecTV Stream. Most offer a free trial.

You won’t be able to watch if you’re a Fubo subscriber, since the subscription service doesn’t carry any of Warner Bros. Discovery’s channels.

A new addition from TBS this postseason is an alternative broadcast on TruTV featuring Hispanic MLB voices, including Martinez, Albert Pujos, Nestor Cortes, Yonder Alonso, and Kenley Jansen.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports described the show, called Postseason ALTcase: Peloteros, as “the ultimate celebration of Hispanic culture in baseball.” The broadcast will be in English, and will stream on Max.

MLB Network analyst Alanna Rizzo hosts the telecast. She recently found herself in hot water with scores of baseball reporters and the Baseball Writers Association of America when, during a rant on MLB Network’s High Heat, Rizzo called Fox Sports reporter Jake Mintz a “jackoff” for reporting Orlando Arcia’s clubhouse taunts of Bryce Harper following the Phillies’ Game 2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in the divisional series.

Rizzo apologized Friday, calling her comments “completely inappropriate … inaccurate, and beyond unprofessional.”

Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, who has a 2.59 ERA in eight postseason starts, will take the mound in Game 1. Wheeler has had a strong postseason, allowing just two earned runs across 13 innings while racking up 18 strikeouts.

The Diamondbacks will counter with righty Zac Gallen, who grew up in South Jersey and pitched for Bishop Eustace (and looks a lot like Phillies’ starter Aaron Nola). Gallen pitched one game against the Phillies this season, giving up two runs in 5⅔ innings in a Diamondbacks’ loss on May 24.

“I think it’s interesting for sure to start Game 1 in the NLCS at the field, stadium you grew up coming to as a kid,” Gallen told reporters. “But, I mean, this is about the NLCS … The external factors, I’ll block them out as best I can.”

» READ MORE: Diamondbacks ace will start against the Phillies, the team he grew up rooting for

On Monday, Phillies Pregame Live will air at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Philadelphia, featuring Michael Barkann, Ricky Bottalico, Ben Davis, and former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. They’ll return for Phillies Postgame Live following the game.

TBS has its own pregame coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. Hosting the network’s studio coverage is veteran broadcaster Ernie Johnson, best known for his role on Inside the NBA. Joining him will be former Phillies star Jimmy Rollins, Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, and three-time All-Star Curtis Granderson.

WIP will also offer pre- and postgame coverage, hosted by Gregg Murphy.

Here is the complete National League Championship Series schedule for Phillies vs. Diamondbacks. Times are Eastern:

* If necessary