SAN FRANCISCO – It won’t be many games in which Aaron Judge goes 0-for-5 with four hits, as he did in Wednesday’s season opener.
In fact, he didn’t hit four in an entire game last year and didn’t hit a single in five at-bats in that second straight MVP season.
In the Giants’ 7-0 season opener at Oracle Park, Judge’s offense was not an afterthought. That was not only because the rest of the roster did their job, but also because the core of the order – which struggled so much last year – has arrived.
Facing ace Logan Webb in the top of the second, José Caballero came up with two on and one out and opened the scoring with a double to left.
Ryan McMahon, who was a mess at the plate for much of last year after arriving in Colorado at the deadline and again this spring after retooling his swing, followed with a two-run double up the middle to make it 3-0.
Austin Wells’ single from the top of the ninth kept the rally going, leading to Trent Grisham’s triple to right that gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead.
So while the Yankees have a lot of confidence in what the heart of the offense will need to deliver for the Yankees to contend for a title, improvements from McMahon and Wells could make them unstoppable.
“We have the best player in the world,” said Max Fried after Judge. “But we also have a lot of guys who will support him.”
Caballero is the starting shortstop in part because Anthony Volpe is out after offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
As for Wells, the left-swinger was the leadoff hitter on last year’s Opening Day against Milwaukee, and went deep in each of the team’s second starts.
Asked if Wells might end up on the roster this season, Aaron Boone said, “We’ll see.”
“As long as I’m on the roster, I don’t care,” Wells said.
The only things Wells was interested in were winning, good at-bats and a solid catch game from Fried behind the plate.
“It was a good start,” Wells said of his two hits and walk. “I would like to build on it.”
They will face lefty Robbie Ray in the second game of the season on Friday, which Boone noted is the only southpaw they will see on the road trip.
While Judge and the rest of the middle in the lineup should carry the blame, the Yankees are hoping for more production from McMahon. He had a .641 OPS with the Bombers last year after posting a .717 mark with the Rockies before the trade, where he played half of his games at the much-loved Coors Field.
Before Wednesday’s game, Boone noted McMahon threw better late in spring training, though he didn’t have much to show for it.
If the rest of the offense performs as expected, the Yankees can live with McMahon’s quality glove at third and nothing else. But they still believe he’s better than a third baseman in the majors, which is where his numbers with the Yankees will put him over the course of a full season.
Boone said it’s unlikely the rest will start Friday against Ray. The Yankees have made sure to add some right-handed balance this offseason, leaving Paul Goldschmidt, Randal Grichuk and Amed Rosario on the righty-heavy roster.
And while Boone and the Yankees tend to look to separate their lefties as much as possible, the Jazz Chisholm Jr., McMahon and Wells were left Wednesday four.
