NEW YORK– The last time baseball was played in the Bronx, the Toronto Blue Jays were dancing on the field and celebrating their ALDS victory over a New York Yankees team that felt they had more to give.
New York’s 8-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday afternoon will not erase the memory of last postseason, but it illustrated that the Yankees fully intend to work towards a much better ending in 2026.
Captain Aaron Judge promptly set the tone in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run off Marlins starter Eury Perez, and did not mince words when speaking about how much he enjoys playing in front of the home crowd.
“I'm pumped every at-bat I get at Yankee Stadium…,” Judge said after the home opener. “There's nothing like getting a chance to step in this box in front of these fans. It doesn't matter if it’s a game in April or a game in October.”
Aaron Judge set the stage in the Yankees’ home opener
Judge’s third home run of the season was only the beginning. The Yankees added six more runs, one of which came from a solo home run from Ben Rice in the bottom of the seventh that boasted an exit velocity of 110.9 miles per hour. The 27-year-old’s blast was part of a 2-for-5 day that also included a two-run double.
“I think Benny can really hit it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he’s a middle-of-the-order hitter and is going to be for a long time.”
The Yankees received 5.2 innings of quality baseball from starter Will Warren, who struck out six batters and surrendered just two solo home runs to Xavier Edwards and Owen Caissie.
“His stuff has always been so good,” Rice said of Warren. “You just see that competitor come out in, especially in this type of environment, the home opener. We saw it last year a lot, and I think it's gonna continue this year.”
The game marked Warren’s first win of the season and helped move his ERA to 2.70 through his first two appearances. In 2025, he concluded with a 4.44 across 33 starts.
“I thought he handled all that comes with this game really well. Having fun, very much in the moment,” Boone said. “I think the experience he's gained over the last couple of years have served him well to learn how to navigate these spots”
Tim Hill, Jake Bird, Brent Headrick, and Ryan Yarbrough logged the final innings for New York and helped confirm the club's sixth win. Across the first seven games of the season, the Yankees’ pitching staff has allowed eight runs and has matched an MLB record for the fewest runs granted through the first seven games of a campaign.
It had been months since fans had seen their beloved Bronx Bombers take the field at home, and while the 162-game slate could certainly reveal flaws that may prevent October redemption, even the most pessimistic observer must wonder if the Yankees' strong start is a sign of more to come.
“It’s early, but you love to get off to this kind of start because wins are precious,” Boone said.
