The New York Yankees will play the San Francisco Giants Thursday afternoon for their home opener at Yankee Stadium.
There are some changes baseball fans will notice this year.
The MLB is adding a pitch clock, banning the shift, and making bases larger. All of this is to speed up games and provide more offense.
But there’s one thing that won’t change for Yankee fans, Aaron Judge will be back in pinstripes.
The reigning MVP signed a 9-year $360 million deal in the off-season.
While the team captain is back, there are some new faces including a rookie who grew up idolizing the Yankees and now he’s one of them.
Rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe was taking no prisoners during the preseason.
Volpe is also a local. He grew up in Somerset County in New Jersey and is a lifelong Yankees fan. Volpe’s the first rookie to make the team’s opening day since Aaron Judge in 2017.
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“Wow! He jumps out at you. The joy that he carries into every day. The presence that he has, and the confidence that he has. Yeah, he’s going to be great, because he’s one of those guys who has that “it” factor. He has the presence. He’s perfect for New York,” said Buster Olney, ESPN, MLB Analyst.
Time will tell if this is the year the Yankees return to the World Series.
The Mets begin the season away at the Miami Marlins.
Buck Showalter’s club had a 101-61 record overall and a 47-34 record in road games last season. The Mets slugged .412 with a .332 on-base percentage as a team in the 2022 season.