New York Yankees: Youth Movement Gets Off To Historic Start
A pair of rookies for the New York Yankees made history in their MLB debuts on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.
In just two days, the entire complexion of the New York Yankees organization has undergone an overhaul. Following Friday night’s farewell to Alex Rodriguez, who was unconditionally released by the team on Saturday morning, New York had a pair of rookies in the lineup for their game against the Tampa Bay Rays, and Major League Baseball got a glimpse of what could be the beginnings of a new powerhouse in the Bronx.
In the second inning of what would go on to become an 8-4 victory over Tampa, first baseman Tyler Austin sent a 2-2 offering from Rays’ starter Matt Andriese into the seats in right field in his first big league at-bat. Right fielder Aaron Judge, who was also making his big league debut, followed immediately after him with a shot into the netting protecting Monument Park in center field for a home run of his own.
This marked the first time in MLB history that teammates homered in their first career at-bats in the same game, let alone to do so back-to-back. Only once before had two players homered in the first at-bat of their debuts in the same game, but the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Ernie Koy and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Heinie Mueller were on opposing sides on April 19, 1938 at Philadelphia’s Baker Bowl.
Saturday’s victory was the Yankees’ fourth in a row, and included three more home runs from players under the age of 26 in Starlin Castro, Didi Gregorious, and Aaron Hicks. At 60-56, Joe Girardi’s squad finds itself 5.5 games back in the American League East and just 3.5 back in the Wild Card standings.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
On a day when the club honored the 20th anniversary of the 1996 World Series championship and had such legends of the pinstripes as Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams in attendance, the Yankees gave fans a taste of the rebuilding effort that has the potential to spark a new dynasty. Judge was the No. 4 prospect in the organization prior to his promotion to the show, which comes just 10 days after No. 5 prospect, catcher Gary Sanchez, got the call.
The moves made by New York in the past month have signaled a changing of the guard, as established stars such as Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, and Carlos Beltran were dealt at the trade deadline for a bevy of highly-touted prospects, Mark Teixeira announced his impending retirement at season’s end, and the decision was made to bring Rodriguez’s time with the team to its conclusion.
Next: Sabathia's Legacy With The Yankees
With the youth movement now in full swing, the Yankees have become one of the more interesting stories in baseball to follow, both now and moving forward into the future.
“It’s exciting,” Judge said after the game. “It’s a great time to be a Yankee.”