Yankees Crush Athletics 12-3 In Home Opener Behind Judge's Two Homers
Yankees Crush Athletics 12-3 In Home Opener Behind Judges Two Homers...
The New York Yankees dominated the Oakland Athletics 12-3 in their 2026 home opener Thursday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, fueled by Aaron Judge's two home runs. The game marked the Yankees' first home appearance of the season and drew a sellout crowd of 47,309 fans despite chilly April weather in the Bronx.
Judge went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, crushing a 447-foot solo shot in the third inning and a three-run blast in the fifth. The Yankees captain now leads MLB with six home runs through nine games this season. "When he gets hot, he carries this team," manager Aaron Boone told reporters postgame.
The lopsided victory comes as the Yankees (7-2) continue their strong early-season form, while the Athletics (2-8) remain the worst team in baseball. Oakland has now lost seven straight games, including being outscored 32-7 in their three-game series against New York this week.
The matchup is trending nationally as baseball fans react to Judge's power surge and the Yankees' explosive offense. New York's 12-run outburst included multi-hit games from Juan Soto, Anthony Volpe, and Oswaldo Cabrera. Starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt earned the win with five solid innings.
Social media erupted with highlights of Judge's mammoth homers, particularly his second-inning blast that cleared the left-field bleachers. The Yankees have now won 11 consecutive home openers, extending their MLB record. They'll continue their homestand Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Oakland's struggles continue amid ongoing uncertainty about the franchise's potential relocation to Las Vegas. The A's have drawn criticism for fielding a league-low $62 million payroll while playing in front of sparse crowds at the Oakland Coliseum.
Thursday's game also featured a pregame ceremony honoring the late Yankees legend Whitey Ford. The team wore commemorative patches on their jerseys for the Hall of Fame pitcher who died last October at age 91.
