The New York Yankees kicked off the 2026 campaign with a 7-0 shutout win over the San Francisco Giants. As Opening Day opens around the rest of Major League Baseball (MLB), a sit-down between Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant and Yankees captain Aaron Judge shed some light on Judge's routine. New York's right fielder left Durant in shock with how early he arrives at the ballpark on Boardroom's YouTube page.
“Yeah, it’s crazy,” Judge explained to Durant during ‘March Cover Story.' “Two o’clock, we’re getting there, but it’s like you’re getting stretched out, you’re doing stuff in the training room. We got meetings.”
Durant compared Judge's routine to his own. The longtime NBA star said that he usually doesn't arrive at the arena before a game until a couple of hours beforehand. Meanwhile, Judge and his teammates will be there six hours ahead of time. The routine certainly helped on Wednesday night, as the Yankees' lineup helped bolster a shutout start from co-ace Max Fried. Can New York continue their Opening Night victory as Opening Day ushers in a brand-new season?
Yankees dominate Giants with 7-0 Opening Night victory
After their Opening Night triumph, the Yankees will have a night off before resuming their series against the Giants on Friday afternoon. While New York's offense resumed its strong performance from last season, Judge went hitless on Opening Day for the first time in his career. Yet, it feels as if that won't hold the two-time reigning AL MVP back.
Judge's Golden Sombrero ended up being just a footnote in the Yankees' first win of 2026. A five-run second inning, sparked by shortstop Jose Caballero's RBI single, helped spur New York to victory Wednesday night. 6.1 shutout innings from Fried showed the veteran lefty also picking up right where he left off last year, where he led the AL in wins with 19. Will Judge's bat awaken in the Friday afternoon tilt, proving his early arrival time worth it? If so, then perhaps Durant will mirror his fellow star's routine in the future.
