The New York Yankees will play their first home game of the 2016 season on Monday, April 4, vs. the Houston Astros at 1:05 p.m. All Yankee Stadium gates will open to guests with valid tickets beginning at 11:00 a.m. with ceremonies slated to begin at approximately 12:30 p.m. with the introduction of both teams on the baselines.

As part of the Opening Day festivities, former Yankees player and 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. He will also be honored with the "Pride of the Yankees Award" at the 37th Annual Homecoming Dinner following the game.
 
Matsui played seven seasons with the Yankees (2003-2009), posting a .292 (977-for-3,348) batting average with 140 home runs, 597 RBIs and a .370 on-base percentage in 916 games. He played in two World Series (2003 and '09) with the club, winning a championship in 2009 as he was named World Series MVP, batting .615 (8-for-13) with a double, 3 home runs and 8 RBIs. He also played three additional Major League seasons with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010), Oakland A's (2011) and Tampa Bay Rays (2012).
In addition, Carmen Cusack - currently starring in the Broadway musical Bright Star - will perform the national anthem and a giant American flag will be unfurled by 75 West Point Cadets. The West Point Color Guard will present the colors.
All guests in attendance will also receive a Yankees magnetic schedule courtesy of AT&T.
 
Following Opening Day, the Yankees will continue their brief homestand with two additional games vs. the Astros (Wednesday-Thursday, April 6-7). Ticket specials will run on Wednesday (MasterCard $5/Military Personnel/Student Game) and Thursday (Military Personnel/Senior Citizen/Youth Game).
For a complete list of ticket specials, including game dates, seating locations, and terms and conditions, fans should visit www.yankees.com/ticketspecials. Please note that all ticket specials are subject to availability.
 
Tickets may be purchased online at www.yankees.com, www.yankeesbeisbol.com, at the Yankee Stadium Ticket Office, via Ticketmaster phone at (877) 469-9849, Ticketmaster TTY at (800) 943-4327 and at all Ticket Offices located within Yankees Clubhouse Shops. Tickets may also be purchased on Yankees Ticket Exchange at www.yankees.com/yte, the only official online resale marketplace for Yankees fans to purchase and resell tickets to Yankees games. Fans with questions may call (212) YANKEES [926-5337] or email [email protected].
For information on parking and public transportation options to Yankee Stadium, please visit www.yankees.com and click on the Yankee Stadium tab at the top of the page.
  
The Yankees recently announced the availability of mobile ticketing for the 2016 baseball season. In addition to traditional hard stock paper tickets, the Yankees will be offering the opportunity for fans to receive mobile tickets on a fan's Smartphone. Print-at-home paper tickets (PDFs) have been discontinued so as to further combat fraud and counterfeiting of tickets associated with print-at-home paper tickets (PDFs). For more information on mobile ticketing, visit www.yankees.com/mobile.
SECURITY ENTRY AND CARRY-IN POLICY
 
Please note that for the 2016 season, ADDITIONAL ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES WILL BE IN PLACE. The Yankees will continue to offer expedited-access entry points at Yankee Stadium through a partnership with CLEAR - the secure biometric identity platform sanctioned by Major League Baseball and currently serving 13 airports in the United States. Ticketholders who are registered by CLEAR will be able to utilize Fast Access entryways, which will allow expedited entry into the building. Fans may pre-register for this free service at sports.clearme.com/yankees.
 
As part of Major League Baseball's initiative to standardize security procedures at all 30 Major League parks, all guests are required to be screened via metal detectors before entering Yankee Stadium. This procedure is a result of MLB's continuing work with the Department of Homeland Security and is in addition to the bag-check policy in place throughout the league.
 
Metal detectors are located at all Stadium gates. Once guests have been screened and have had their MLB-compliant bag, and small personal handbag, checked, they will have their tickets scanned. All Stadium gates are fully staffed and available for entry two hours prior to the game's scheduled start time.
 
For security reasons, each guest is permitted to bring into Yankee Stadium only one MLB-compliant bag - presently defined by Major League Baseball as soft-sided and no larger than 16 inches by 16 inches by 8 inches - and only one smaller-sized soft-sided personal item (e.g., a handbag, clutch, tote or plastic grocery bag). All hard-sided bags and containers are strictly prohibited. All bags, personal items and their contents will be visually inspected before they are permitted into the Stadium. Bag-size bins will be used at entry inspection points to confirm the size of all bags and personal items, which must fit without assistance, modification or adjustment. There is no storage area for any items. To enable guests to enter the Stadium in a more timely manner, the Yankees encourage guests to remain aware of and comply with the bag policy, as well as consider carrying as little as possible. Please note security regulations may be amended at any time.
 
Pursuant to MLB requirements, all guests, including children, must be screened. Infants and toddlers may be carried through the metal detectors; those children who are able to walk may be asked to walk through on their own. Those guests who choose not to or who are unable to go through a walk-through metal detector have the option of being manually checked with a hand-held metal detector or a physical pat-down.
 
If a walk-through metal detector alerts a security officer to the presence of items that require further inspection, guests will be directed to the side, where they will be screened via a hand-held metal detector or physical pat-down. When the items in question are discovered, guests will be asked to display them and/or allow a security officer to examine them. At this time, a security officer will determine whether or not these items will be permitted in Yankee Stadium.
 
Prohibited Items
 
Please note that the list of prohibited items at Yankee Stadium includes (but is not limited to) laptops, firearms, knives or weapons of any kind, laser pens, glass, cans or aluminum bottles or thermoses, selfie-sticks, video cameras or other equipment designed for the sole purpose of video and/or audio recording, and hard-sided bags, such as briefcases. Please also note that there is no storage area for prohibited items. Guests arriving by public transportation should take particular care not to bring any prohibited items, as no exceptions will be made. For a full list of prohibited items, please visit www.yankees.com and click on the Yankee Stadium tab at the top of the page.