By Bryan High | before an hour
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NEW YORK — Anthony Volpe rested his forearms on the padded railing of the Yankees’ dugout and couldn’t help but grin broadly after winning the first home run of his major league career.
Aaron Judge had just completed a trip of his own around the basepaths to give the Yanks a quick lead in the first inning Friday night at Yankee Stadium. When the reigning American League Most Valuable Player wrapped the rookie shortstop in an aggressive bear hug, Yankees fans saw a very bright future.
Volpe and Judge’s promising opening show was turned on its head late on when Carlos Correa hit a double in the eighth inning in New York’s 4-3 loss to the Twins from reliever Clay Holmes. Nestor Cortes hurled seven sharp two-run innings and accepted a non-decision.
Volpe batted at the leadoff spot and cracked the second pitch he saw from Twins right-hander Louie Varland over the wall in left midfield. The ride covered a Statcast-predicted 394 feet and marked Volpe’s second career extra-base hit.
Judge followed immediately with his fifth homer of the season, also ahead of Varland, who served Judge’s 55th homer on his big league debut at Yankee Stadium last September.
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It was the first time since June 25, 2019, when DJ LeMahieu and Judge did it against the Blue Jays, that the Yanks hit consecutive home runs to open a game and the 12th time in franchise history.
Volpe is the highest rated prospect by the Yankees and the #3 in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline. Volpe is the seventh bomber to have his first major league homer as a leadoff blast and the first since Bobby Richardson on July 25, 1959 in Detroit.
Volpe’s first stolen base came right after his first walk on opening day, and he followed two days later with the first two hits of his career.
“It was a whirlwind, but the best whirlwind,” Volpe said earlier this month after recording his first few hits. “It was great for me to spend this time with my teammates, my family and my close friends. It’s cool for me, but it’s even better that I can experience it with them.”
If Volpe’s history is any indication, there should be many more home runs in his future. In his two full minor league seasons, he hit 27 and 21 home runs and cracked three in just 53 at-bats during spring training.