New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles Picks and Prediction for Thursday, August 20, 2026
The New York Yankees visit the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, with the first pitch at 6:35 PM ET. New York is 70-55, second in the AL East, and 39-28 on the road after a 3-1 win over Baltimore in its most recent completed game. The Yankees have won two straight but only two of their last five. Baltimore is 61-65, fifth in the AL East, and 32-31 at home after Tuesday’s loss. The Orioles have won three of five. Find your betting angle with our free MLB picks.
New York Yankees Look to Extend Winning Run
New York is batting .229 with a .308 on-base percentage and .407 slugging percentage while scoring 554 runs and hitting 172 home runs. Ben Rice leads the Yankees with 33 home runs and 78 RBIs while batting .249 with a .343 OBP and .529 slugging percentage. Aaron Judge has 17 homers in 59 games with a .907 OPS, while Jazz Chisholm Jr. has contributed 17 home runs and 32 stolen bases. New York has scored nine runs across its last five games.
The Yankees own a 3.24 team ERA and 1.18 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .224 batting average. New York has recorded 1,122 strikeouts and has allowed 122 home runs, giving the staff a clear advantage over Baltimore’s season-long pitching numbers. The Yankees have allowed only 12 runs across their last five games, including one run against Baltimore Tuesday and one against Seattle last Thursday. New York has held four of its last five opponents to three runs or fewer.
Injuries: Cody Bellinger (10-Day IL), Kervin Castro (15-Day IL), Max Fried (15-Day IL), Giancarlo Stanton (10-Day IL), Clarke Schmidt (60-Day IL).
Baltimore Orioles Look to Answer at Home
Baltimore is batting .237 with a .320 on-base percentage and .398 slugging percentage while scoring 570 runs and hitting 152 home runs. Pete Alonso leads the Orioles with a .267 average, 28 home runs and 81 RBIs while carrying a .360 OBP and .494 slugging percentage. Gunnar Henderson has 20 home runs and 51 RBIs, while Coby Mayo has added 17 homers. Baltimore has scored 27 runs across its last five games despite managing only one Tuesday.
The Orioles have a 4.23 team ERA and 1.35 WHIP while opponents are batting .254. Baltimore has recorded 1,002 strikeouts against 421 walks and has allowed 133 home runs. The Orioles surrendered only three runs Tuesday after allowing 17 across their previous two games against Tampa Bay. Baltimore had also allowed five, three, and two runs during three consecutive victories before Monday’s loss. The pitching staff faces a Yankees lineup that ranks 29th in batting average but remains dangerous with its home-run production.
Injuries: Samuel Basallo (10-Day IL), Blaze Alexander (10-Day IL), Felix Bautista (60-Day IL), Ryan Helsley (60-Day IL), Ryan Mountcastle (60-Day IL).
Pitching Matchup
New York Yankees – Gerrit Cole
Cole is 6-6 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 86.2 innings. The right-hander has allowed 75 hits, 19 walks and 11 home runs while striking out 92. Cole faces a Baltimore lineup ranked 24th in MLB with a .237 batting average.Â
Baltimore Orioles – Kyle Bradish
Bradish is 7-11 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP through 133 innings. The right-hander has allowed 123 hits, 58 walks, and 13 home runs while recording 124 strikeouts. New York is batting only .229, but the Yankees have hit 172 home runs. Therefore, Bradish cannot allow too many baserunners.Â
New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles Game Pick
- New York Yankees
New York is the game pick behind Cole and MLB’s top-ranked pitching staff. Cole owns a 3.22 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, while Bradish enters with a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. The Yankees also carry a 3.24 team ERA compared with Baltimore’s 4.23 mark. New York has won two straight and allowed only four runs during those victories. Baltimore has the stronger recent offensive production, but Cole’s control and the Yankees’ home-run power provide the better combination for Thursday’s matchup.
New York Yankees vs Baltimore Orioles Over/Under Pick
- Under
The under is the total pick because New York’s pitching has controlled recent games while the Yankees’ offense has produced limited scoring. New York has allowed only 12 runs across its last five contests, and four opponents finished with three runs or fewer. Cole brings a 3.22 ERA and 1.08 WHIP into Thursday, while Bradish owns a solid 3.65 ERA. Tuesday’s series opener produced only four combined runs. Both lineups have home-run threats, but the starting matchup supports another lower-scoring game.