First, allow me to say hello to all the sickos. Because there’s no one else reading a Spring Training betting preview on February 20.
That said, it is an exciting time in baseball. It’s not just any random Spring Training day — it’s the first day of actual Spring Training games. Get excited! Before long, we’ll all be numb to the idea of meaningless at-bats in the middle of the afternoon, but right now? At this very moment? I can not wait to watch some MLB action, and the opening tilt of the slate takes place between the Orioles and the Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Let’s preview this exhibition matchup with the help of the very sparse odds and lines on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
Yankees vs. Orioles prediction, preview
Look, we all know how unpredictable Spring Training baseball can be. It’s legitimately a game where neither side is all that interested in winning, so much so, that the few “regulars” we’ll see this afternoon won’t even be sticking around in the dugout after they leave the contest.
Still, it’s not like we don’t know anything about what’s going to transpire at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Florida. The starting pitching matchup will be Trevor Rogers versus Elmer Rodriguez, and though those men will likely only throw a single inning, it’s a microcosm of what we can expect from both rosters. Rogers was one of few bright spots for Baltimore in 2025, managing an eye-popping 1.81 ERA and 2.82 FIP over his 18 starts — making the RHP one of only three pitchers to throw over 100 innings and maintain an ERA below 2.00. On the other side, Elmer Rodriguez will toe the rubber in the first inning for the Yankees. The 22-year-old is New York’s No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, yet threw a majority of his innings in 2025 at the Double-A level. It’s that kind of game.
In general, especially early in the Spring, teams are not very willing to send veteran players on the road. That’s why Rodriguez is starting against a dark horse AL Cy Young candidate. It’s also why the Orioles will have far more household names in their lineup on Friday — including Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso and Adley Rutschman — at least for the few couple of innings, anyway. In fact, the Yankees are only sending six 26-man roster players to Sarasota, headlined by Jazz Chisholm and Austin Wells, who will likely get two plate appearances each. Other than that? It’s a lot of minor league fodder, guys not on the 40-man or even with an official invite to big league Spring Training.
Yankees vs. Orioles pick, best bet
Best Bet: Yankees ML (+130)
I get why the Orioles are favored in this game. They have the better starter. They’ll have more major leaguers in their starting lineup. However, in a game in the middle of February that will be decided by six innings of no-names squaring-off, just give me the team at plus-money. No team should be -155 on the moneyline at this time of the year.
