when did aaron judge make his mlb debut
Aaron Judge The Yankees selected Judge in the first round of the 2013 MLB draft. After making his MLB debut in 2016 and hitting a home run in his first career at bat, Judge has had a record-breaking rookie year in 2017. He was named an All-Star and won the Home Run Derby. He broke the Yankees' record for home runs by a rookie (besting Joe DiMaggio's 29 with 30 before the All-Star break), while also breaking the MLB rookie record of reaching base 164 times before the All-Star break. He won the American League's (AL) Rookie of the Month Awards for April, May, and June 2017, as well as the AL's Player of the Month Award in June. Judge set a new MLB rookie record for home runs, surpassing Mark McGwire's total of 49.
Yankee Stadium Before the official Opening Day against the Cleveland Indians on April 16, 2009, the Yankees hosted a two-game exhibition series at the stadium in early April against the Chicago Cubs.[81] Grady Sizemore of the Indians was the first player to hit a grand slam off of Yankee pitcher Dámaso Marte. The Indians and 2008 Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee spoiled the opening of the new stadium by winning 10–2. Before the Yankees went to bat for the first time, the bat that Babe Ruth used to hit his first home run at the old Yankee Stadium in 1923 was placed momentarily on home plate.[82] Jorge Posada hit the first Yankee home run in the new ballpark hitting his off Lee in the same game. Russell Branyan, while playing for the Seattle Mariners, was the first player to hit a home run off of the Mohegan Sun Restaurant in center field.