Cubs vs. Dodgers Today: Spring Training 2025 - How & Where To Watch + More
The 2025 MLB Spring Training season is set to begin with a matchup between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, February 20, at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona.
This game marks the beginning of an exhilarating spring for both franchises, particularly as the Cubs gear up for their anticipated Tokyo Series against the Dodgers in March. With a blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talent on both rosters, this matchup of Cubs vs. Dodgers today provides an early glimpse into the prospects for the 2025 season!
*Into Fantasy Baseball? Check out the 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Guide and ultimate 2025 Fantasy Baseball Cheat Sheet from us here at Fantasy Alarm!
Where To Watch Cubs vs. Dodgers Today
Need to know where to watch Cubs vs. Dodgers today? No worries. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:05 PM EST, and fans can watch the event live on MLB Network and SportsNet LA.
An electrifying atmosphere is expected as baseball makes its return, setting the stage for a highly competitive Spring Training period!
MLB Spring Training 2025: Cubs vs. Dodgers Starters & Lineups
Since it's hard to predict the Cubs projected lineup or the Dodgers projected lineup with this being Spring Training, we won’t do that. Instead, the lineups we’ve listed below are their projected lineups for Opening Day.
The Cubs starting pitcher has been announced for this one, though, as well as the Dodgers starting pitcher.
Chicago Cubs Projected Starter
- Cody Poteet (3-0, 2.22 ERA, 1.07 WHIP in 2024)
Chicago Cubs Projected Lineup
- Ian Happ, LF
- Dansby Swanson, SS
- Kyle Tucker, RF
- Seiya Suzuki, DH
- Michael Busch, 1B
- Matt Shaw, 3B
- Jon Berti, 2B
- Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
- Miguel Amaya, C
Los Angeles Dodgers Projected Starter
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (7-2, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP in 2024)
Los Angeles Dodgers Projected Lineup
- Shohei Ohtani, DH
- Mookie Betts, SS
- Freddie Freeman, 1B
- Teoscar Hernandez, RF
- Max Muncy, 3B
- Will Smith, C
- Michael Conforto, LF
- Tommy Edman, CF
- Hyeseong Kim, 2B
When Do Spring Training Games Start?
As we mentioned, this game signifies the commencement of MLB Spring Training for the year 2025.
So, Cubs vs. Dodgers today, Thursday, February 20, serves as the inaugural event of Spring Training in 2025, with the remainder of the league set to participate later this weekend. The concluding day of the 2025 MLB Spring Training games is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25.
Cubs, Dodgers & MLB Spring Training Schedule (2025)
Now that we’re done covering Cubs vs. Dodgers today, we’ll lay out the Spring Training schedule for the rest of this week, courtesy of MLB.com.
To view the complete MLB Spring Training schedule for 2025, click that link!
Thursday, February 20th – Spring Training
- CHC vs. LAD – 3:05 PM ET (SNLA, MLBN) | Poteet vs. Yamamoto
Friday, February 21st – Spring Training
- TB vs. NYY – 1:05 PM ET (YES, MLBN) | Krehbiel vs. TBD
- LAD vs. CHC – 3:05 PM ET (SNLA, MARQ) | TBD vs. TBD
- TEX vs. KC – 3:05 PM ET | TBD vs. Lynch IV
- COL vs. AZ – 3:10 PM ET | Blalock vs. TBD
- SEA vs. SD – 3:10 PM ET (MLB Video, SDPA) | TBD vs. Bergert
Friday, February 21st – Exhibition
- NEU vs. BOS – 1:05 PM ET (NESN) | TBD vs. TBD
Saturday, February 22nd – Spring Training
- WSH vs. HOU – 1:05 PM ET (SCHN) | TBD vs. TBD
- PIT vs. BAL – 1:05 PM ET (SNP, MASN, MLBN) | TBD vs. TBD
- BOS vs. TB – 1:05 PM ET (NESN) | TBD vs. TBD
- PHI vs. DET – 1:05 PM ET | TBD vs. Maeda
- ATL vs. MIN – 1:05 PM ET | TBD vs. TBD
- NYY vs. TOR – 1:07 PM ET (Sportsnet) | TBD vs. TBD
- HOU vs. NYM – 1:10 PM ET (SNY) | TBD vs. TBD
- STL vs. MIA – 1:10 PM ET | TBD vs. TBD
- CLE vs. CIN – 3:05 PM ET (CLEG) | TBD vs. TBD
- KC vs. LAD – 3:05 PM ET (SNLA) | TBD vs. TBD
- SF vs. TEX – 3:05 PM ET | TBD vs. TBD
- CWS vs. CHC – 3:05 PM ET (MARQ) | Shuster vs. TBD
- AZ vs. COL – 3:10 PM ET (ARID, COLR) | TBD vs. TBD
- ATH vs. SD – 3:10 PM ET (SDPA) | TBD vs. TBD
- SEA vs. LAA – 3:10 PM ET (FDSNW) | TBD vs. TBD
- CIN vs. MIL – 3:10 PM ET | TBD vs. TBD
Player News
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Zach Eflin (lat) is likely to return and start Sunday against the Angels
It was assumed that Eflin would be back this weekend, but now we have a concrete date. The 31-year-old may not be at full strength after throwing fewer than 60 pitches in his rehab start, but the Orioles feel confident enough to have the right-hander back on the bump for the series finale against the Angels.
Riley Greene is not in the lineup for the first game of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Thursday.
Greene will get a break and likely return to the lineup for the second game of the twin-billing. Zach McKinstry will get the start in left field while Greene rests.
Yu Darvish (elbow) is facing live hitters on Thursday.
Darvish has been throwing bullpen sessions and traveled to the team’s complex in Arizona to face live hitters on Thursday. It will be his first time facing live batters since a spring training appearance on March 13th. He will likely need a few sessions like this before the Padres can map out a rehab appearance timeline for him.
Adael Amador is starting at second base and batting ninth for the Rockies on Thursday.
Amador has now started three of the last four games at second base for the Rockies. He’s gone just 7-for-43 this season with 15 strikeouts in 16 games. He’s just 22 years old, so there is plenty of time for him to adjust to the MLB level, but he doesn’t need to be on redraft radars right now.
Jackson Holliday is playing second base and batting second for the Orioles on Thursday against the Twins.
With Cedric Mullins sitting out on Thursday, Gunnar Henderson will bat lead off, and Holliday will jump up from sixth in the order to second. Holliday is riding a hot streak right now, and the Orioles are taking advantage. This is likely just a one-game sample with no Mullins or Adley Rutschman in the lineup, but Rutschman has been struggling, so perhaps it could become a more permanent spot in the lineup for Holliday moving forward.
Endy Rodriguez (finger) had his splint removed this week.
Rodriguez suffered a lacerated right index finger on April 14th. Now that he is out of his splint, he “is playing catch and doing a slightly modified swing.” Once he can progress to taking full swings, we’ll have a better sense of the timeline for his return.