NEW YORK -- “Suits tomorrow.”
That was the late-night directive from Aaron Judge, sent via text to teammates ahead of Friday’s home opener at Yankee Stadium -- crisp shirts, pressed slacks, shoes shined to a gleam.
Call it Fifth Avenue meets 161st Street: the Yankees were dressed for business. Judge made sure they handled it, too, launching a first-inning home run in their 8-2 victory over the Marlins.
“That’s Cap again, setting the tone,” said Ben Rice, who homered and drove in three runs. “Everybody was fired up and happy to continue that momentum out on the field.”
Down a run early, Judge jumped on a Eury Pérez slider that landed in the left-field seats for his third homer of the season. The Yankees seized control and didn’t let go, continuing one of the best seven-game starts in franchise history.
Only the 1933 Yanks (7-0) opened better than this group, which has been powered by dominant pitching, timely hitting and athleticism. The 2024 pennant-winners were the most recent Bombers squad to win six of its first seven contests.
The Yankees improved to 12-6 in home openers at the current Yankee Stadium, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero each stealing a couple of bases. Judge, who also swiped a bag, said he couldn’t have scripted the day much better.
"There’s nothing like getting a chance to step into this box, in front of these fans,” Judge said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a game in April or a game in October. There’s no better spot.”
Pérez's command issues helped fuel the Yanks’ attack, as the right-hander walked six over four innings. He also hit Judge in the right forearm with a bases-loaded 98.8 mph fastball in the second inning.
Judge grimaced while walking toward first base, momentarily flashing back to an errant pitch on this same diamond that cost him time in July 2018.
"I’ve broken my wrist like that, so that’s always your main concern,” Judge said.
Will Warren made the advantage hold up, continuing to carry over the encouraging signs he showed this spring, especially with his four-seamer and sinker.
Warren held Miami to a pair of solo home runs over 5 2/3 innings -- Xavier Edwards in the first, Owen Caissie in the fifth -- as he picked up his first win of the year, striking out six without a walk.
"Solo homers aren’t going to beat us,” Warren said. “If we attack early, the odds are in our favor.”
Yankees pitchers have allowed eight runs over their first seven games, matching the fewest by any Major League team, alongside the 1993 Braves and the 2002 Giants. Their starters have permitted two runs or fewer in each outing.
“It’s early, but you love the fact that you get off to this kind of start,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Wins are precious. The guys are obviously pitching as well as they are, but I think they’re also playing well, the all-around game.”
The Yanks pulled away late, powered by Rice, who turned around his day after striking out in his first three at-bats.
He scorched a seventh-inning homer into the short porch in right field at 110.9 mph, then clubbed a two-run double off the auxiliary right-field scoreboard in the eighth. Rice has hit safely in each of his six games this season, with nine hits in 22 at-bats (.409).
“Benny can really hit,” Boone said. “I think he’s a middle-of-the-order hitter and is going to be for a long time.”
The Yankees believe fortune didn’t smile upon Rice last season, expecting that his frequent barrels would soon transition from lineouts into extra-base hits.
"I think he hit into some bad luck last year,” Judge said. “He always hits the ball hard. He gets himself in good counts. He doesn’t really swing at too many bad pitches. He gets another 500 at-bats, I’m looking forward to seeing him really develop and have fun out there.”
So far, Rice seems to be handling everything thrown at him -- whether it’s fastballs, sliders, or a last-minute fashion curveball that sent him rifling through a closet.
"I had a few options,” Rice said with a smile. “I knew after my first year that I definitely couldn’t be caught without one, because Cap likes to make sure we’re wearing them now and then.”