Yankees rookies hit back-to-back homers in first career at-bats

The new era of New York Yankees baseball got off to a memorable start in Saturday’s 8-4 win against the Rays.

Rookies Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge, both of whom were summoned to Yankee Stadium to make their major-league debuts in the wake of Alex Rodriguez’s release, made history by each homering in their respective first MLB plate appearances.

In the history of baseball, no teammates had ever accomplished that feat in the same game. And to make matters even wilder, they did so in back-to-back plate appearances in the second inning.

 

Tyler Austin (No. 26) is congratulated by Aaron Judge (No. 99) after hitting a home run in his first MLB at bat. Judge would immediately follow with his first career home run. (Getty Images)

Austin, a 24-year-old first baseman/outfielder, got the start at first base for Mark Teixeira. He was hitting sixth in New York’s lineup. Judge, also 24, got the start in left field and hit seventh. They went deep against Rays’ starter Matt Andriese, though there’s no debate which home run traveled farther.

 

	Bryan Hoch @BryanHoch
.@statcast says: Tyler Austin: 331 feet, 95 mph off bat, 29 degree launch Aaron Judge: 446 feet, 109 mph off bat, 27 degree launch 11:04 AM - 13 Aug 2016

Austin’s was an opposite field shot aided by the short porch in right field. Judge’s was an absolute moonshot that cleared monument park in center field.

	Mike Petriello @mike_petriello	8h
	Judge's 446 is tied with Hicks for longest NYY HR tracked by #statcast in Yankee Stadium. Third longest overall (Correa, Olt)
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	Mike Petriello @mike_petriello
So the Yankees have now hit 330 HR the last two years. Judge's is tied for 6th-longest. Austin's is tied for 4th-shortest. That's fun. 11:13 AM - 13 Aug 2016

The contrast in the home runs is almost as crazy as the historical precedent they set. The Yankees had a little fun with it too, making this announcement shortly after Judge’s home run.

 

	Lohud Yankees Blog @LoHudYankees
Clubhouse announcement on Judge: "He's the first player to homer in his first at-bat as a Yankee since Tyler Austin a couple of minutes ago" 11:00 AM - 13 Aug 2016

Before Saturday, only three Yankees had ever homered in their first career at-bat. It’s not exactly a who’s who list, but the Yankees hope that will change with Austin and Judge.

 

	Katie Sharp @ktsharp
Before Judge and Austin, only 3 other Yankees had homered in their first MLB PA (Andy Phillips, Marcus Thames, John Miller) 11:01 AM - 13 Aug 2016

We knew Saturday would make a new beginning for Yankees baseball. Even as the organization celebrated its 1996 World Series championship team, there was a different buzz with the young guys in the lineup. So far, anyway, that new era looks to have exciting potential. Now we wait to see how they blend in and, more importantly, how they adjust to life in the big leagues.