As pitchers and catchers reported in mid-February and full squads took the field in Tampa, a new spring ritual began for the New York Yankees. The Grapefruit League calendar quietly transforms preparation into competition.
Their 2026 slate opens on Feb. 20 on the road at Baltimore before the home opener vs. Detroit a day later, threading marquee matchups and divisional previews. Early games mix familiar rivals and newcomers under the Florida sun.
Scattered among traditional spring stops is a World Baseball Classic tune-up and a Subway Series preview, hinting at storylines that could echo into the regular season, all before the March finale and the shift to other MLB games.
NY Yankees spring training 2026 schedule
- Feb. 20 – vs. Baltimore Orioles (Grapefruit League opener)
- Feb. 21 – vs. Detroit Tigers (home opener at Steinbrenner Field)
- Feb. 22 – vs. New York Mets (Subway Series)
- Feb. 23 – vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
- Feb. 24 – vs. Toronto Blue Jays
- Feb. 25 – vs. Washington Nationals
- Feb. 26 – vs. Atlanta Braves
- Feb. 27 – vs. Minnesota Twins
- Feb. 28 – vs. Toronto Blue Jays
- Mar. 1 – vs. Philadelphia Phillies
- Mar. 3 – vs. Panama (World Baseball Classic tune-up exhibition)
- Mar. 4 – vs. Boston Red Sox
- Mar. 5 – vs. Minnesota Twins
- Mar. 6 – vs. Tampa Bay Rays
- Mar. 8 – vs. New York Mets (Spring game)
- Mar. 11 – vs. Toronto Blue Jays
- Mar. 14 – vs. Philadelphia Phillies
- Mar. 15 – Split squads: vs Detroit Tigers / @ Baltimore Orioles
- Mar. 18 – vs. Boston Red Sox
- Mar. 19 – Split squads: vs Baltimore Orioles / @ Toronto Blue Jays
- Mar. 20 – vs. Baltimore Orioles
- Mar. 21 – Spring Breakout: vs Atlanta prospects (MLB event)
- Mar. 22 – vs. Philadelphia Phillies (final Grapefruit League game)
When is MLB Opening Day for the New York Yankees?
For the 2026 campaign, the Yankees will be part of one of baseball’s most anticipated early starts. Their season opens in a primetime matchup on March 25, 2026, when New York visits the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in what MLB is billing as an Opening Night event.
Cam Schlittler of the Yankees during the American League Division Series in 2025 (Source: Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
This game, set for 8:05 PM local time and with exclusive streaming arrangements, stands alone as the first contest of the 2026 season before a full slate of games begins the next day.
Even with March 26 marking the traditional “Opening Day” for most clubs, the Yankees’ March 25 date carries extra weight: a nationally spotlighted start that quickly shifts focus from spring build-up to regular-season stakes as the calendar turns toward April.
