The San Francisco Giants are taking on the New York Yankees in a home game in MLB's first contest of the 2026 regular season before Opening Day. Before the matchup started, former franchise managers Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy both threw out the first pitch of the year.
Baker, who managed the Giants from 1993 to 2002, and Bochy, who managed the team from 2007 to 2019, both stepped up in front of the mound and threw the first pitch before the start of the game, according to Sean Cunningham of CKRAN News, NBC Sacramento. They tossed the ball at the same time, and they each crossed home plate with relative ease.
Opening Day first pitches by Sacramento’s Dusty Baker and Bruce Bochy, greeted by the Giants new manager Tony Vitello. pic.twitter.com/wXZjOaY55E
— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) March 26, 2026
Dusty Baker had a relatively successful stint with the Giants, despite never winning a World Series. He helped coach San Francisco to a title appearance in 2002, but lost to the then-Anaheim Angels in seven games. He eventually won his first and only ring in 2022 with the Houston Astros.
Bruce Bochy, on the other hand, led the Giants to three World Series wins during his 13 seasons with the club (2010, 2012, 2014). After leaving the organization in 2019, Bochy accepted the manager job with the Texas Rangers, where he won his fourth ring in 2023.
With two legendary managers attending the first game of the regular season, new Giants manager Tony Vitello has quite the crowd for his MLB debut. Vitello, who is 47 years old, accepted the manager job just this last offseason after signing a three-year deal with the club.
San Francisco hopes for more success in 2026 after just missing out on the playoffs last season. With a plethora of exciting talent on the roster, the Giants certainly could make some noise in the NL West.
