Dave Sims (Play-by-Play) Joined in MLB Sunday Leadoff Booth by Analysts Ryan Rowland-Smith and Geoff Blum
Ahmed Fareed Hosts Pregame Coverage on Peacock at 12:30 p.m. ET, Alongside Former World Series Champion Nick Swisher
STAMFORD, Conn. – Aug. 17, 2023 – 2017 AL MVP and eight-time All-Star Jose Altuve and the defending World Series champion Houston Astros host 2022 AL Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star Julio Rodriguez and the Seattle Mariners in a matchup with American League Wild Card implications on MLB Sunday Leadoff this Sunday, August 20, at 1:05 p.m. ET exclusively on Peacock.
As the MLB playoff race heats up, the Astros (70-52) currently occupy the second AL Wild Card spot, while the Mariners (65-55) are two games out of the final Wild Card position. Houston and Seattle met in the playoffs last season, with the Astros sweeping the Mariners, 3-0, in the American League Division Series.
Play-by-play announcer Dave Sims will be joined in the MLB Sunday Leadoff booth from Minute Maid Park by analysts Geoff Blum and Ryan Rowland-Smith. Sims is currently in his 16th season as the play-by-play voice of the Mariners on ROOT SPORTS. He also calls college basketball games on FS1 and is a correspondent for MLB Network.
Game analysis in the MLB Sunday Leadoff booth is provided each week by announcers from the participating teams.
Blum, a 14-year MLB veteran from 1999-2012 as an infielder, spent five seasons with Houston (2002-03, 2008-10). He won the 2005 World Series while with the White Sox and hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the 14th inning of Game 3 against Houston. Blum currently serves as an Astros analyst on AT&T SportsNet.
Rowland-Smith, a five-year MLB veteran as a pitcher, spent four seasons with the Mariners from 2007-10. He is a Mariners analyst on ROOT SPORTS and on radio for ESPN710 Seattle.
This week’s MLB Sunday Leadoff coverage begins with the pregame show at 12:30 p.m. ET on Peacock. Ahmed Fareed is the pre- and postgame host of MLB Sunday Leadoff and also serves as the in-game reporter.
Former World Series champion Nick Swisher, who had a 12-year MLB career, will serve as this week’s pre- and postgame analyst alongside Fareed.
How to Watch:
| Date | Show | Time (ET) | Platform |
| Sun., Aug. 20 | MLB Sunday Leadoff Pregame | 12:30 p.m. | Peacock |
| Sun., Aug. 20 | Mariners vs. Astros | 1:05 p.m. | Peacock |
Commentators:
- Play by Play: Dave Sims
- Analysts: Geoff Blum and Ryan Rowland-Smith
- Pre- and Postgame Host/In-game Reporter: Ahmed Fareed
- Pre- and Postgame Analyst: Nick Swisher
Beginning on Sunday, April 23, when the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Colorado Rockies from Citizens Bank Park, Peacock will stream an NBC Sports-produced baseball game live in 19 of 20 weeks. Each game will feature NBC Sports-produced pre- and post-game shows on Peacock.
On each of the 19 Sundays that Peacock presents a game, it will be scheduled as the exclusive home of live MLB action until 1:35 p.m. ET that day, when the remainder of the day’s schedule will begin. The package will include start times of 11:35 a.m. ET (six games), 12:05 p.m. ET (10 games), and 1:05 p.m. ET (three games).
The MLB Sunday Leadoff package began in 2022 with 18 exclusive Sunday morning games on Peacock, continuing NBC Sports’ storied baseball tradition. The first Major League Baseball television broadcast was a 1939 Cincinnati Reds-Brooklyn Dodgers doubleheader on W2XBS (the precursor to WNBC-TV) in New York.
NBC Sports was a home to the first World Series broadcast in 1947, the first All-Star Game nationally broadcast in 1952, and has televised 39 World Series – more than any other network. Additionally, from 1957-2000, NBC Sports was home to a wealth of baseball programming, including Game of the Week and Monday Night Baseball telecasts, more than 30 All-Star Games, and countless Postseason moments.
Peacock’s expansive programming offers the most live sports of any SVOD service in the United States, including live coverage of Sunday Night Football, Olympic Games, Premier League, Notre Dame Football, NASCAR, NTT IndyCar Series, Big Ten football (beginning in September), and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel.
To learn more about Peacock and MLB Sunday Leadoff, including how to sign up, click here.
2023 MLB Sunday Leadoff Schedule on Peacock
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup |
| August 20 | 1:05 p.m. | Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros |
| August 27 | 12:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at New York Mets |
| September 3 | 1:05 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers |
--NBC SPORTS—
