Advertisement

Judgment day in NYC as Judge and rookie Volpe show future is bright for Yankees I The Rush

The promise of a new season was on display during MLB Opening Day. Aaron Judge picked up where he left off, hitting a home run in his first at bat in a Yankees win over the Giants while rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe also impressed for the pinstripes. The Mets managed to both win and lose on opening day, with a victory against the Marlins and the loss of ace Justin Verlander to the injured list, joining a growing list of banged up pitchers. Plus, The Rush has a replacement player in mind to pitch, if necessary.

Video Transcript

- Now it's driven to centerfield and deep. Yastrzemski back. Still back. On the track. At the wall. See ya. He picks up where he left off. A home run for Judge.

JARED QUAY: The Major League Baseball season has begun, and I am pumped.

- I didn't expect that.

JARED QUAY: If the regular season is anything like spring training, where a new pitch clock rule shaves an average of 26 minutes off playing time, we're looking at two and a half hour games, baby.

- God bless America.

JARED QUAY: Peanuts, hot dogs, beers, and games shorter than a Marvel movie? Sign me up.

- You do taste better at the ballpark.

JARED QUAY: Let's check on the two MLB teams with the highest payrolls in the league. Last year's home run champion and newly minted Yankees captain Aaron Judge was busy doing Aaron Judge things in his first at bat against San Francisco.

- Now it's driven to centerfield and deep. Yastrzemski back. Still back. On the track. At the wall. See ya. He picks up where he left off. A home run for Judge 1-0, Yanks.

JARED QUAY: That 422-yard bomb was officially the first home run of the 2023 MLB season and the first in the era of Judge's new contract, a nine-year $360 million deal. It was a good day for the Yanks as pitcher Gerrit Cole locked 11 strikeouts in six scoreless innings and rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe made a splash with some nice defensive plays and a stolen base in a route to a 5 to 0 win for the pinstripes.

- It was probably the most fun day in my entire life.

JARED QUAY: Now how about those Mets?

- [GROANING]

JARED QUAY: No, no, no, no. Don't freak out yet. The Mets won their opening day game against the Marlins 5 to 3 after Brandon Nimmo's two run double broke a tie in the seventh inning. The problem lies with who wasn't on the field. On opening day, New York announced that ace Justin Verlander was starting the season on the injured list with an injury near his pitching shoulder.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner was supposed to make his debut on Saturday after joining the Mets in the off-season, when he signed a two-year, $86.6 million dollar contract. The Mets are also without closer Edwin Diaz for the year after he tore his patellar tendon while celebrating a World Baseball Classic game, while starter José Quintana and reliever Sam Coonrod are also out with injuries.

- Are you finished?

JARED QUAY: Listen, money can buy you players, but apparently it can't buy you health and safety. Shoot, can Bobby Bonilla pitch? I mean, the Mets are still paying him $1.9 million a year until 2035. The Mets are going to Met. In fact, I need the Mets to Met because if the Mets start being, like, sane and good, you might think we're in a glitch in the matrix. And next thing you know, you got to watch out for comets, and earthquakes, and all that good stuff. So Mets, keep Metting. Always Met.