Game One: Opening Day

The baseball gods teased us yesterday. The Yankees and Astros were ready to open the 2016 season Monday, but it rained and was pretty nasty in New York all day, so we waited. One more day we had to wait. Today, the waiting is over. The Yankees return to action this afternoon, fittingly against the Astros, the same team that beat them in the AL wildcard game last year.

Over the winter the Yankees did not sign a single Major League free agent, and they only made four five trades that directly impacted the big league roster. They have a new second baseman, a new fourth outfielder, some new middle relievers, and a new closer. The closer, of course, is 30 days away from joining the team. So the Yankees do have some new faces this year. They also look pretty similar to last season.

The Yankees are 63-49-1 all-time on Opening Day — they’re 20-4 in their last 24 home openers — but they’ve lost four straight and six of their last seven Opening Days. This afternoon they’re trying to avoid their first five-game Opening Day losing streak since 1934-38. Crazy, huh? Here is manager Joe Girardi’s first lineup of the new season:

1. CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2. LF Aaron Hicks
3. DH Alex Rodriguez
4. 1B Mark Teixeira
5. RF Carlos Beltran
6. C Brian McCann
7. 3B Chase Headley
8. 2B Starlin Castro
9. SS Didi Gregorius
   RHP Masahiro Tanaka

Like I said, the Astros are in town for the first series of the year this season. Here is their lineup.

Unlike yesterday, the sky is clear and it is nice and sunny this afternoon. It’s cold — temperatures are in the high-30s — and windy, so it’s not great baseball weather, but it’ll do. This afternoon’s game will begin at 1:05pm ET and you can watch on YES locally and ESPN nationally. Also, the MLB Extra Innings package is in a free preview this week, so all you have to do is find the channels. The road to the 28th World Series title in franchise history begins today, folks. Enjoy the game.