Bronx native hits first bigs HR at Stadium

NEW YORK -- Some seven miles from the childhood bedroom where Andrew Velazquez is (at least temporarily) laying his head, the Yankees' shortstop rounded the bases for his first Major League home run on Saturday afternoon. The thought crossed his mind: All of the other homers in his life didn’t really count.

This one did, though -- a line-drive shot to the right-field seats off Twins reliever Ralph Garza Jr. in the eighth inning, placing a cherry on top of the Yankees’ 7-1 victory at Yankee Stadium. It was the Yanks’ ninth consecutive win, a streak during which the 27-year-old Velazquez has made the most of his chance to shine in the brightest lights.

“Some guy was screaming at me that I should hit my first one,” Velazquez said. “Every at-bat I got on deck, he was screaming, ‘Hit your first one down the line!’ So I went 0-for-3 before that. The final one, I said, ‘Let me take his approach, because mine ain’t working.’”

Television cameras documented the moments after Velazquez turned on the 92 mph fastball, capturing shots of Velazquez’s family members -- mother, father, grandmother, brother, aunts -- clapping, cheering and crying in the Stadium seats. Informed of their reaction, Velazquez quipped: “It would be crying.”

“It’s amazing,” said Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton. “I couldn’t imagine what it’s like for him, to have grown up here. Everyone that grows up here wants to be where he is, doing what he’s doing right now. It’s a dream come true, and it’s fun to be a part of, fun to watch.”

Nicknamed “Squid,” Velazquez grew up in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx and attended Fordham Prep. He was drafted by the D-backs in the seventh round of the 2012 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut with the Rays in '18.

Velazquez collected 15 hits in 96 at-bats over the 2018-20 seasons with the Rays, Indians and Orioles, though none cleared the fence. He’d hit seven homers for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“It is awesome and we're all excited for him, but he's playing really well for us and helping us win games with his all-around play,” manager Aaron Boone said. “That's the thing that gets me excited. He's come in and fit in.”

The ball was caught in Section 107 by Frank Luna, a 38-year-old from Bradley Beach, N.J. Approached by Yankees security official Eddie Fastook, Luna quickly agreed to return the ball to Velazquez and asked nothing in exchange. In appreciation, the Yankees delivered baseballs for Luna's children and promised to have the family on the field for batting practice at a future home game.

Asked what he will do with the ball, Velazquez replied, “I’m keeping that one.”

Promoted from Triple-A in response to Gleyber Torres’ thumb injury, Velazquez has batted .265/.424/.689 through 13 games, collecting a double, a triple and a homer with six RBIs among his 33 at-bats. He has made a strong case to stick around even after Torres is pain-free.

“I'm just so proud of that kid,” said Luke Voit. “It’s a huge role, picking up for Gleyber until he comes back. He’s been great defensively, and he's been driving in runs left and right. It's a lot of pressure, and he's taken advantage of this opportunity.”