For the first time in 70 years, two Yankees aged 25 or younger went deep in the first game of the season. The last time that happened, Mickey Mantle was involved, and the Yankees reached the World Series.
Austin Wells, a 25-year-old catcher, and Anthony Volpe, a 24-year-old shortstop, delivered homers Thursday on the way to a relatively breezy, 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Southpaw Carlos Rodón cruised through 5 innings in place of injured ace Gerrit Cole. Captain Aaron Judge laced a timely double that doinked off third base in the seventh. Things got hairy for new closer Devin Williams against his former club in the ninth, but the All-Star held on for his first save in pinstripes.
And the home fans — all 46,208 of them went home happy.
Both Volpe and Wells are crucial not just to this season but also to the next half-decade of Yankees baseball. Aaron Judge will turn 33 in April. Cole will be 35 when he returns next season. Goldschmidt, Williams and Bellinger can be free agents this winter. Jazz Chisholm Jr. could depart the next winter.
And so, the blossoming of Volpe, Wells and Domínguez is not a pipe dream or a nice bonus. It is, as Boone said, something the Yankees are “relying upon.”
“Those guys are gonna be a big part of our future — and our success this year.”
NEW YORK SPORTS THIS WEEK 