Yankees' Austin Wells to Bat Leadoff on Opening Day

For the first time in New York Yankees history, catcher Austin Wells will bat leadoff on Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers, marking a significant milestone in the franchise's 124-year legacy. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed this decision, emphasizing Wells' on-base percentage over traditional leadoff speed as the reasoning behind the lineup choice. Wells, who was a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year last season, has shown promising performance in spring training, batting .372 with six home runs. Historically, the Yankees had never had a catcher in the leadoff spot, with Wells breaking a streak of 18,926 games without this occurrence. Boone indicated that while Wells will start the season in this role, lineup adjustments may occur based on matchups throughout the season. The game is set to start at 3:05 p.m. ET on Thursday.