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Today’s first Phillies-Mets game available only on Facebook

The opening game of today's doubleheader isn't on TV. It's only available online via Facebook. Here's how to watch it.

Ranger Suarez pitched five innings in his debut. The lefthander allowed four runs off six hits (two were home runs), but the Phillies' offense helped him earn his first major-league win.
Ranger Suarez pitched five innings in his debut. The lefthander allowed four runs off six hits (two were home runs), but the Phillies' offense helped him earn his first major-league win.Read moreJohn Minchillo / AP Photo
    by Rob Tornoe
    Updated 
    Published 

If you were hoping to watch Phillies take on the New York Mets on television this afternoon, good luck finding the game.

For the fourth time this season, fans hoping to watch the Phillies will have to log onto Facebook. That's the only place game one of their doubleheader against the Mets, which starts at 4:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park, will air.

If it seems like the Phillies have appeared on Facebook a lot, it's because they have: Their four exclusive appearances this season on Facebook Watch are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Seattle Mariners for most in the league.

The game is part of a deal that's run all season between MLB and Facebook that allows the social media giant to exclusively air 25 games on Facebook Watch, baseball's first foray into digital-only national broadcasts in an attempt to reach a younger audience.

>> READ MORE: Phillies' win over Red Sox is the biggest win of the season

Scott Braun will once again handle play-by-play duties for the broadcast, this time joined by Phillies television analyst Ben Davis and former Mets first baseman Todd Zeile. MLB Network host Stephen Nelson will handle reporting duties.

If you don't feel like tuning into Facebook, you can still listen to play-by-play of the game on the radio. But because 94.1 WIP will air the Eagles' second preseason game against the New England Patriots, Phillies fans will have to tune into 1210 WPHT to hear the call for both games.

Game two of the doubleheader against the Mets, scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

>> READ MORE: Phillies' Nick Pivetta is the man with the xFIP factor

Here's the upcoming schedule for Facebook Watch broadcasts:

• Thursday, Aug. 16: Mets vs. Phillies, 4:05 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug 22: Rangers vs. Athletics, 3:35 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 30: Twins vs. Indians, 1:10 p.m.

While the league hasn't made live viewership data for recent broadcasts public, Facebook broadcasts earlier this season averaged between 65,000 and 85,000 concurrent viewers. Last week's broadcast of the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals garnered 5.3 million global views (which is measured when a viewer watches the broadcast for at least three seconds). By comparison, the Phillies' 8-2 loss against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 26 garnered 4.2 million global views.

How to watch game one of Thursday’s Mets-Phillies doubleheader:

On desktop: 

• Log into Facebook from your web browser.
• Search for "MLB Live."
• Follow the "MLB Live" show page to receive updates. The live feed should be pinned to the top of the page.

On mobile/tablet:

• Download and/or launch the Facebook app on your phone or tablet device.
• Search for "MLB Live."
• Follow the "MLB Live" show page to receive updates.

On television:

• Download the Facebook video app on your TV or streaming device, available on many streaming devices (but not Roku).
• Search for "MLB Live."