Opening Day came and went for the Yankees who beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2, and it didn't take long for some history to be made in The Bronx.
Leading off the bottom of the first inning, Austin Wells hit a solo home run off Freddy Peralta to give New York a quick 1-0 lead. It was the first time in MLB history that a catcher hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day.
Wells also became the first Yankee with a leadoff home run on Opening Day.
LEADOFF HOMER FOR AUSTIN WELLS! 💣
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 27, 2025
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/PjpKSZ2TWI
"It's pretty cool," Wells said after the game. "Obviously not playing to break records but it's still pretty cool to hear."
The ball traveled 348 feet to right field -- caught by a fan in the first row -- and had an exit velocity of 103.7 mph, getting out in a hurry.
What makes the home run even more impressive is it came in Wells' first at-bat hitting leadoff.
"I don't know, it felt pretty good I think," Wells said when asked about how he felt batting first in the order. "It was cool."
Without a true leadoff hitter in the lineup, New York tried Wells at the top of the batting order during spring training and the catcher answered the call well, prompting the Yankees to keep the 25-year-old there, at least for the beginning of the season.
"Pretty early on in camp I felt like -- you know I get it it’s unconventional, it’s the catcher, he’s not a burner and all that, but to me it made a lot of sense potentially," Boone said about Wells in the leadoff spot. "He’s one of the guys in my head I can say, this works for me and I just think that’s where he is as a hitter now too. I think he’s really a lot more advanced and I think he’s gonna take another step from last year."
When Boone first told Wells about his idea of batting him No. 1, the catcher thought he was joking, saying, "I didn’t really take it seriously."
Wells never envisioned himself as a leadoff hitter, but being in front of Aaron Judge has helped him make the switch.
"I think it’s something new for me and it's kind of exciting getting to hit in front of Aaron Judge and trying to get on base for him," Wells said. "I think that’s kind of helped me mindset-wise, just get on base anyway that I can."
