NEW YORK — Aaron Judge rang in Opening Day the same way he marked many nights last season: with a home run.
In his first game as New York Yankees captain, Judge hit a solo drive in the first inning off San Francisco‘s Logan Webb on Thursday, a 422-foot shot into the netting above Monument Park in center field.
Judge took a strike on the 39-degree day at Yankee Stadium then hit a thigh-high cutter on the outside part of the plate for a 109 mph drive and his first Opening Day home run.
Judge hit an American League-record 62 home runs last year, one more than Roger Maris’ total with the 1961 Yankees.
He became a free agent and considered signing with the Giants before striking a nine-year, $360 million deal to remain with the Yankees.