Joe Buck was back in the baseball booth for Thursday’s Opening Day game between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, marking his first time calling a national baseball game in four years.
Buck, who joined the ESPN crew on a one-off assignment Thursday afternoon, didn’t have to wait long for a big moment as Yankees’ Austin Wells homered as the leadoff batter, becoming the first catcher with a leadoff home run on Opening Day.
Buck paid Yankees broadcasting stalwart Michael Kay a sweet nod on Wells’s homer, lending his voice to Kay’s signature call:
“Here’s a 2-0… That is ripped into right, back at the wall… See ya! Home run!” Buck said. “What a start. Yankees on top 1-0.”
Well(s) that was quick 💥
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2025
The first #OpeningDay home run comes off the bat of Austin Wells 💪 pic.twitter.com/0HZ3tGk6cj
Kay mentioned on the YES Network pregame that Buck was going to say that for him if the Yankees hit a homer, so it doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Still, it was nice to see Buck tip his hat to the longtime broadcaster.
The Yankees have gained an early lead over the Brewers and are currently up 2-1 in the third.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Joe Buck Pays Sweet Tribute to Michael Kay on Yankees’ First Homer on Opening Day.
