Yankees Crush Marlins 8-2 in Home Opener, Judge and Rice Homer

Aaron Judge needed exactly one at-bat to announce the Yankees' home opener was not going to be close. The captain drove a two-run home run off Marlins starter Eury Pérez in the first inning at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, handing New York a lead it would never surrender on the way to an 8-2 victory over Miami.

Judge did not stop there. He put together a multi-hit afternoon, remaining the most dangerous presence in a New York lineup that proved it has more than one weapon. Ben Rice provided the day's other highlight-reel moment, launching a home run of his own and finishing with three runs batted in. The combined offensive contributions from the captain and his emerging supporting cast underscored how much depth this Yankees roster carries beyond its marquee name.

Miami's command problems transformed what could have been a competitive game into a comfortable afternoon for the home crowd. The Marlins issued 11 walks, a staggering total that allowed New York to manufacture runs across the middle innings without needing to earn everything with sharp contact. The Yankees converted the free passes into a methodical assault, piling on against a Miami pitching staff that never regained control of the strike zone.

Will Warren gave the Yankees exactly what they needed from the starting rotation. He worked 5 2/3 innings, surrendered only four hits, and kept the game well in hand long enough for the bullpen to finish without serious difficulty. The outing reinforced the early-season picture of a rotation with genuine depth behind its top starters.

With the win, New York improved to 6-1, one of the better starts the franchise has posted in recent memory. For Miami, the afternoon revealed concerns beyond the walk totals: command issues and bullpen limitations will require attention as the Marlins navigate divisional play through a long spring.

Judge's tone-setting blast in the first inning captured the spirit of the entire performance. The Yankees did not wait for the game to come to them.