Major League Baseball’s 2023 Opening Day had fans on the edge of their seats waiting for all the action to unfold. The Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals recorded a staggering 34 hits and 19 runs. However, amidst all the surprises, one moment remained inevitable – Aaron Judge, the New York Yankee slugger, hitting the first home run of the 2023 MLB season.

In the first inning of the Yankees and San Francisco Giants game, Judge sent the ball deep into the stands, earning the first home run of the 2023 season. This was no shock, as Judge had led the league in home runs last season, smashing past baseball legend Roger Maris’ single-season record of 60 with 62 of his own.

After Judge’s remarkable hit he mentioned, “You really don’t hear much when you hit it and you’re running the bases. But once I hit home [plate] and saw my family there, the roar of the crowd, my teammates — that’s when you soak it in a little bit.”

Giants ace, Logan Webb was the unfortunate pitcher on the receiving end of Judge’s home run. Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, acknowledged how difficult it is to hit against Webb, mentioning, “That’s about as tough a guy as you’re going to do it against, right on right. Webb is going to keep you in the ballpark. To get a ball up like that and hit it out on a cold day to dead center… especially after the offseason, signing back and [being named] captain, for him to get us rolling was very fitting.”

Toward the end of the last season, there was much speculation about Judge leaving New York; however, the Yankees managed to keep one of the best players in baseball by offering him a nine-year $360,000,000 contract. While one home run seems modest compared to such a substantial salary, it was a perfect start to the season. Additionally, being the first home run of the 2023 season adds icing to the cake for Aaron Judge.