The Pirates were one of baseball's feel-good stories during the early weeks of the season, but that label better fits the Marlins right now.
Miami is holding down a wild card spot nearly halfway into the season, even with reigning NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara struggling to find his footing. Offseason acquisition Luis Arraez is hitting near .400, and 20-year-old phenom Eury Perez is quickly emerging as one of baseball's most lethal pitchers.
The Pirates have their share of young talent, including recent call-up Henry Davis, but Pittsburgh has quickly drifted away from postseason contention. The only path back to contention for for the Pirates, at this point, is the weak NL Central, though the Reds are trying to pull away from the pack.
Can the Marlins keep building momentum against the struggling Pirates? Whether or not Miami is ready to keep up with the NL's best teams, this is the type of series Skip Schumaker's group will have to win in order to stave off some of the surging teams behind them in the standings.
Meanwhile, this series might be one of the Pirates' last chances to prove to the front office that it's worth buying, not selling, at the trade deadline.
MORE: Watch 'Friday Night Baseball' tonight on Apple TV+ (free trial)
Here's what you need to know to watch the Pirates host the Marlins on Friday night.
What channel is Pirates vs. Marlins on tonight?
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Fans looking for some Friday baseball can log in to Apple TV+, the exclusive home of "Friday Night Baseball" for the 2023 MLB season.
What time is Pirates vs. Marlins tonight?
- First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
Pirates vs. Marlins from LoanDepot Park in Miami is set to begin at 6:40 p.m. ET.
Apple TV+ will have pregame coverage throughout the day with curated articles for each team and MLB. Fans can watch the "Countdown to First Pitch" pregame show 15 minutes prior to the start of the game.
Apple TV+ will broadcast another game on Friday night: Mets vs. Phillies from Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.
How to live stream Pirates vs. Marlins
- Live stream: Apple TV+
Pirates vs. Marlins will be available exclusively through Apple TV+, but there are still different ways to stream the game. Apple TV+ is available to stream on your phone, tablet, computer and smart TV, as well as streaming devices such as Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV stick.
MORE: Scouting report, more to know about Pirates rookie Henry Davis
How much does Apple TV+ cost?
The service starts at $6.99 a month in the U.S. Yearly subscriptions begin at $69. In Canada, a monthly subscription is $8.99 CAD.
Last season, the service was free for those trying to watch "Friday Night Baseball," but that is no longer an option. Apple does offer a seven-day free trial for new sign-ups, but you will need a subscription to watch MLB's "Friday Night Baseball" games beyond that.
The service is also home to the hit show "Ted Lasso," among other original series. It also operates MLS Season Pass, which allows fans to watch every MLS game without blackout restrictions, for an additional fee.
Apple TV+ 'Friday Night Baseball' 2023 schedule
| Date | Game | Time (ET) |
| Friday, June 23 | Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Miami Marlins | 6:40 p.m. |
| Friday, June 23 | New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, June 30 | Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, June 30 | Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Angels | 9:30 p.m. |
| Friday, July 7 | Atlanta Braves vs. Tampa Bay Rays | 6:30 p.m. |
| Friday, July 7 | Baltimore Orioles vs. Minnesota Twins | 8 p.m. |
| Friday, July 14 | Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, July 14 | San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, July 21 | St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs | 2:20 p.m. |
| Friday, July 21 | San Diego Padres vs. Detroit Tigers | 6:30 p.m. |
| Friday, July 28 | Cleveland Guardians vs. Chicago White Sox | 7 p.m. |
| Friday, July 28 | Los Angeles Angels vs. Toronto Blue Jays | 7 p.m. |