Yankees fans Opening Day was definitely something huh? It had a little bit of everything drama a history-making moment and a game that kept you on the edge of your seat until the very last pitch. Let's break down all the craziness from the Bronx Bombers' season opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Broadway Star's Anthem Performance Causes Stir at Yankee Stadium: Phone-Gate or Just a Minor Blip?
Before the game even started there was some unexpected off-field action. Betsy Wolfe a talented Broadway actress was chosen to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner". Now Betsy has an amazing voice no doubt but some fans at Yankee Stadium and online noticed something during her performance – she was reading the lyrics from her phone .
Yep you heard that right. Phone in hand lyrics on screen. This sparked a bit of a debate online. Some folks were not happy about it. They felt it was disrespectful or unprofessional. One fan even tweeted at the Yankees to "do better" next time. Ouch.
But let's be real here. Singing the National Anthem in front of a packed stadium is a high-pressure gig. Maybe Betsy just wanted to make sure she nailed it perfectly and avoid any mistakes. Hey even Broadway stars can have a brain freeze sometimes right? Lots of other fans actually praised her voice and thought she did a great job overall. So was it a major controversy or just a little moment blown out of proportion? You decide.
Rookie Catcher Austin Wells Makes History with Leadoff Homer: Yankees Opening Day Starts with a Bang!
Okay anthem drama aside let's get to the actual baseball because this is where things got exciting. Yankees Rookie Catcher Austin Wells stepped up to the plate to lead off the game and BAM! He smacked a fastball from Brewers pitcher Freddy Peralta straight into the right-field stands. Home run Yankees lead 1-0 and history made!
Austin Wells just became the FIRST CATCHER in MLB history to hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day. That is seriously impressive stuff. Think about all the legendary catchers who have played Major League Baseball Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Thurman Munson Jorge Posada – none of them ever did that. And Austin Wells in his first full season? Boom history.
Even cooler? Austin apparently wasn't even sure he was going to be the leadoff hitter for real. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told him about it back in Spring Training as a bit of a joke maybe. But Wells kept hitting well kept leading off in games and now here we are leadoff hitter and home run king on Opening Day. Not a bad start to your season huh?
Brewers Put Up a Fight but Yankees Hold On for Thrilling Opening Day Victory: Late Inning Drama at the Stadium
After Wells's early blast the game was far from over. The Brewers came to play and it turned into a real nail-biter especially in the late innings. Yankees new closer Devin Williams came in to pitch the top of the ninth with the Yankees holding a slim lead.
Things got tense quick. Williams gave up a single and a double to start the inning Brewers runners on second and third no outs. Yikes. They managed to score one run making it 4-2 but Williams buckled down struck out the next two batters and shut the door. Yankees win! Opening Day victory secured but man it was close.
Opening Day Fun Facts and Records: Beyond the Bronx Bombers Around the MLB on Opening Day
Opening Day is always packed with cool stats and fun facts across the league. Here are a few other highlights from around MLB on Opening Day 2025:
- Dodgers Hot Start: The Los Angeles Dodgers are on fire! After sweeping their series in Korea and winning their home opener they are the first defending champs to win their first three games since the 2001 Yankees. Talk about setting the tone.
- Tyler O'Neill's Opening Day Homer Streak: Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill is an Opening Day machine. He homered for the SIXTH straight year. That is a new AL/NL record folks. He even did it in Toronto against the Blue Jays making it extra sweet for the Canadian native.
- Orioles Unleash the Bats: The Baltimore Orioles offense exploded on Opening Day crushing SIX home runs in a 12-2 win. They are only the fourth team in MLB history to hit six or more homers on Opening Day. Two Orioles Adley Rutschman and Cedric Mullins each hit TWO homers themselves.
- MacKenzie Gore's Pitching Gem: Nationals pitcher MacKenzie Gore had a debut Opening Day start for the ages. Facing the Phillies he pitched six scoreless innings allowed only one hit and struck out THIRTEEN batters with zero walks. He is only the second pitcher ever to do that on Opening Day joining pitching legend Bob Gibson.
- Wilyer Abreu's Heroics: Red Sox Wilyer Abreu had a day to remember. He hit a game-winning three-run homer in the NINTH inning against the Rangers. He also had a multi-homer game becoming the first Red Sox player with two homers on Opening Day since 2015.
Yankees Look to Build on Opening Day Win: Brewers Series Continues This Weekend
So a win is a win and the Yankees are 1-0 to start the season. Despite the anthem singer hiccup and a tight game they got it done. Austin Wells made history Devin Williams shut the door and the Yankees faithful can breathe a little easier. But it's just one game of 162. The Yankees and Brewers are back at it again for game two of the series this Saturday. Let's see if the Bronx Bombers can keep the momentum rolling and make it two in a row.