Yankees' Austin Wells hits leadoff home run in Opening Day win

Opening Day came and went for the Yankees, but it didn't take long for some history to be made in The Bronx.

Leading off the bottom of the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers, 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! ????

(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/PjpKSZ2TWI— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 27, 2025

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 after the game 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."

The solo shot came after Opening Day starter Carlos Rodon pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his season debut.

In the second inning, Anthony Volpe hit a solo homer of his own to a similar spot in right field.