Yankees' 2026 spring training schedule and how to watch the games on TV

The New York Yankees will begin their 2026 spring training slate against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, Feb. 20 at 1:05 p.m. ET. They'll be away from home in Sarasota, but the action at George M. Steinbrenner Field begins Saturday against the Detroit Tigers.

Fans will get an early look at Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange, two highly-touted pitching prospects, on Friday and Saturday. Their opening lineup wasn't exactly anything to write home about, but Aaron Judge and the rest of the crew are expected to take the field on Saturday and Sunday.

There are a lot of roster questions that need to be answered. There are the returns of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón from major surgery. Both are expected to pitch this spring, but we don't know exactly when yet. Same goes for pitching prospect Chase Hampton.

Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones will be under a microscope, even though both are expected to begin the season at Triple-A. Oswaldo Cabrera's return from a broken ankle is another storyline fans must keep an eye on. Will Jake Bird rebound? What will Ryan Weathers, Cade Winquest and Angel Chivilli look like?

All questions aside, baseball is back. It's a great time to be alive.

Yankees' complete 2026 spring training schedule and how to watch the games

*Note: if you are out of market, a good portion of these games can be viewed on MLB Network.

When do players leave spring training for the World Baseball Classic?

A number of Yankees reported early to spring training — specifically those of whom will be departing early for the World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 4 in Tokyo (and will run through the 17th). A total of 11 Yankees will be participating in the event.

They plan to depart spring training on March 1 as they prepare with their respective international teams. Aaron Judge is the biggest name partaking in the WBC, and he'll be the captain for Team USA. David Bednar will be joining him under manager Mark DeRosa.

Make sure to continue visiting Yanks Go Yard throughout the spring to receive all of your updates regarding the roster, injuries, prospects and position battles as the Yankees gear up for their Opening Day matchup against the San Francisco Giants on March 25.