Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run in his first at-bat as a Yankee, and the internet was ready (but also wasn’t).
Perhaps the biggest move of the baseball offseason was All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton getting traded to the one place all players end up on a long enough timeline. The days of the New York Yankees poaching the game’s best players experienced a revival of sorts this winter, and Stanton wasted no time in settling himself into Aaron Boone’s lineup.
Stanton’s first at-bat was a home run, and it’s the very thing non-Yankees fans feared from the jump.
In case you missed it, here’s Stanton’s moon shot — the first of what will likely be many:
Frankly, this was to be expected, and fans were ready for it. Just about everyone had something to say about Stanton’s home run whether it was joy, confusion, or frustration that the Evil Empire had been resurrected.
For starters, everyone had a different number for how many home runs Giancarlo is on pace for:
AND JUST LIKE THAT GIANCARLO STANTON IS OFFICIALLY A YANKEE
— Andrew (@Andrew_Rotondi) March 29, 2018
I don't want to say the ball is juiced, but Giancarlo Stanton is currently on pace for 1,458 home runs this season.
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) March 29, 2018
KAAAAAAAAA-BAAAAANG GIANCARLO STANTON HIT THE FIRST HOME RUN OF THE YANKEES WORLD SERIES SEASON AND HES NOW ON PACE TO HIT 486 HOME RUNS IN 2018 AND I GUARANTEE HE HITS 200 MORE THAN THAT #openingday pic.twitter.com/v00GSqJiaq
— Dreadlef Schrempf (@TheLesterLee) March 29, 2018
Yankees fans are obviously having the best time with this. There was some mild fear that somehow this coming together of superpowers might not work out. Less than half a game into the season, those fears have turned to tears of joy.
Took 37 seconds for Giancarlo Stanton to earn my unconditional love
— Tommy Smokes (@TomScibelli) March 29, 2018
First batter vs Marlins this season = home run.
— Will Manso (@WillManso) March 29, 2018
First at-bat for Giancarlo Stanton this season = home run.
The baseball gods aren’t funny.
GIANCARLOOOOOOOOOO
— Jack Crosby (@JCrosbyCBS) March 29, 2018
Earlier in the day, the Marlins gave up a home run on the very first pitch of the season.
ICYMI: The Marlins gave up a homer on the first pitch of the 2018 season
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) March 29, 2018
Giancarlo Stanton went deep on his first AB of the 2018 season pic.twitter.com/1DdfMXfyIe
It’s just the first game of the season, but Stanton wasting no time in getting into his groove has to make baseball fans pleased. Love it or hate it, the Yankees being good is in turn good for baseball. Stanton and Judge will be an electric duo one way or another this year, and this is the start the rest of the league feared.