Friday is Opening Day of the 2023 MLB regular season, and one of the first games to be played in this new baseball season will be one between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees in the Big Apple. And to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for that contest will be no other than the legendary closer Mariano Rivera, the Yankees announced via Twitter.

Having Mariano Rivera throw out the ceremonial pitch should further hype up an excited Yankees fanbase. Rivera's status as a Yankees and baseball legend is undeniable. He is the greatest closer ever, after all. Plus, it's always great for fans to see a legend like Rivera get on the field, even for ceremonial purposes, from time to time.

Rivera last pitched in the majors in 2013, as he retired following the end of the 2013 MLB season. That season, he appeared in 64 games and picked up a 2.11 ERA, 1.047 WHIP, and 44 saves. Overall in his career, Rivera has a total of 652 saves, the most ever in Major League Baseball. He also holds the record for most games finished with 952.

Other personalities who will help grace the start of a new Yankees season alongside Mariano Rivera will be DJay Jung (pregame and innings breaks performances), the US Military Academy Cadet Color Guard (for the presentation of colors), Adrianna Hicks (for the singing of the national anthem), and Miguel Cervantes (for the singing of God Bless America).

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