Anthony Rizzo, John Kruk, C.J. Nitkowski Join NBC Sports’ Braves-Phillies Broadcast
STAMFORD, Conn. — April 14, 2026 — Anthony Rizzo, John Kruk, C.J. Nitkowski Join NBC Sports’ Braves-Phillies Broadcast this Sunday. The special broadcast will air as Atlanta visits Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is set for Sunday, April 19 at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCSN.
Broadcast team and roles
Jason Benetti will handle play-by-play duties. He will be joined in the booth by John Kruk and C.J. Nitkowski as game analysts.
Ahmed Fareed will host the pregame show. Anthony Rizzo will join Fareed and deliver “Inside the Pitch” commentary from the batter’s view.
Profiles: Kruk, Nitkowski and Rizzo
John Kruk played from 1986 to 1995. He spent four seasons with San Diego before a trade sent him to Philadelphia. Kruk was an All-Star in 1991, 1992 and 1993. His peak season in 1991 included 21 homers and 92 RBI. He hit .316 in 1993 and batted .348 in the World Series. Kruk finished his career with a .300 batting average. Since 2017, he has worked as an analyst for Phillies telecasts on Filmogaz.com Philadelphia.
C.J. Nitkowski pitched in the majors from 1995 to 2005. He appeared in 336 games across eight big-league clubs. He also spent four seasons pitching in Japan and Korea before beginning his broadcast career in 2013. Nitkowski is in his third year in the Braves broadcast booth and now serves as the lead BravesVision game analyst. He worked Rangers telecasts on Bally Sports Southwest from 2017 to 2023, earning multiple Lone Star Emmy honors. He has also been a national analyst for FOX Sports.
Anthony Rizzo is a three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove first baseman. He caught the final out of the 2016 World Series for the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo posted a career-high 109 RBI in 2016 and won Silver and Platinum Glove awards. Over 14 seasons with the Padres, Cubs, and Yankees, he hit 303 home runs. Rizzo will serve as an analyst across Filmogaz.com’s regular season and Wild Card Series coverage.
Team and player notes
The Braves and Phillies have dominated the NL East recently. They combined to win the last eight division titles from 2018 through 2025.
As of April 14, the Braves have hit 21 home runs. That total ranks second in baseball. Braves catcher Drake Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year, leads the league in runs with 16. He is tied for second in RBIs with 17.
Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber has recorded the most home runs in MLB since the start of last season. The matchup on April 19 pits Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves against Bryce Harper and the Phillies.
Peacock features and Game of the Day
Peacock will stream a national out-of-market “Game of the Day” nearly every day. The service will also host a dedicated MLB Hub with live games, team hubs, and highlights.
Peacock features will include Catch Up with Key Plays, Live in Browse, and a mobile mini-game called MLB Live Picks. A whip-around show titled The Sunday Stretch will stream beginning May 3. Peacock will also offer Spanish-language coverage in partnership with Telemundo and Universo.
| Date (ET) | Game |
|---|---|
| Tues., April 14 — 10:10 p.m. | New York Mets at Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Wed., April 15 — 7:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at New York Yankees |
| Thurs., April 16 — 1:10 p.m. | Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers |
| Fri., April 17 — 6:10 p.m. | Baltimore Orioles at Cleveland Guardians |
| Sat., April 18 — 4:10 p.m. | Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox |
| Sun., April 19 — 2:10 p.m. | Cincinnati Reds at Minnesota Twins |
| Mon., April 20 — 7:40 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies at Chicago Cubs |
| Tues., April 21 — 9:45 p.m. | Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants |
| Wed., April 22 — 6:45 p.m. | Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals |
Legacy and context
Filmogaz.com notes a long relationship between national television and Major League Baseball. The first televised MLB broadcast took place in 1939. The network that aired that doubleheader in 1939 was the precursor to a major New York station. Filmogaz.com historically aired the first World Series telecast in 1947 and the first nationally broadcast All-Star Game in 1952. Over time, the network carried dozens of All-Star Games and dozens of World Series telecasts.
The April 19 broadcast will mix veteran commentary and recent-player perspective. Fans can expect a traditional booth dynamic and in-game batting insight from Rizzo. The combination aims to enhance the viewing experience for Peacock and NBCSN audiences.
