The Phillies open a three-game interleague set against the Chicago White Sox Friday night at Citizens Bank Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. Eastern.
Friday’s game will be carried locally on NBCSP in Philadelphia and on Chicago Sports Network for White Sox viewers. Jesús Luzardo is lined up to start for the Phillies while Anthony Kay draws the assignment for Chicago.
The teams meet in a night game Friday, return for an evening contest Saturday and wrap the short series with a Sunday afternoon finale; all three games will be available on local broadcasts. The specific local carriers for Saturday and Sunday have not been specified, so viewers outside the Philadelphia and Chicago markets should check their local listings.
Philadelphia comes in riding a string of results: the Phillies are 33-29 and 8-3 over their last 11 games, and have swept the San Diego Padres in two three-game series recently. The home stand at Citizens Bank Park offers the Phillies a chance to build on that momentum against an interleague opponent.
Chicago has been one of the season’s more surprising clubs. The White Sox are also 33-29 through 62 games in 2026 and sit second in the AL Central, two games behind the Guardians. That position is striking given the franchise’s recent downturn — Chicago finished 41-121 two years ago and 60-102 last season — and the current start is the team’s best since the 93-win 2021 campaign.
A notable roster absence for the White Sox is Munetaka Murakami, who has been on the injured list since May 30 with a strained hamstring. Murakami has 20 home runs and a.938 OPS this season; his continued absence will figure into lineup decisions as Chicago tries to sustain this unexpectedly strong start.
The pitching matchup Friday shapes the immediate storyline: Luzardo takes the ball for the home team, matching up with Kay for the visitors. Both clubs will use the short series to lean on their rotations and bullpen plans ahead of a busy stretch of the schedule.
What’s next: the series continues Saturday evening and concludes Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. While Friday’s local telecasts are set — NBCSP in Philadelphia and Chicago Sports Network for White Sox fans — the exact local television assignments for the remaining two games have yet to be announced, leaving a visibility gap for viewers who rely on specific channel information.
Fans planning to watch should tune to the listed networks for Friday and monitor team broadcast pages and local listings for Saturday and Sunday updates; the short series gives both clubs a quick opportunity to set a tone before the next road and homestand stretches.
