Yankees' home opener: Here are 5 things to watch on Friday afternoon

The Yankees started the season with a six-game West Coast trip that, by any objective measure, could not have gone much better.

Even with Aaron Judge off to a slow start, the vast majority of the roster — the starting pitchers in particular — contributed to a 5-1 trip.

After Thursday’s off day, one the Yankees were very much looking forward to because their journey west actually started early with two exhibition games on March 23-24 in Mesa, Arizona, against the Cubs, they finally will play at home on Friday.

Here are five things to watch in the home opener against the Marlins:

1. For starters

Will Warren will start Friday and will be accompanied by this question: Can he keep it going?

The “it” being a historic performance from the rotation, Warren included, which allowed two runs in 33 2⁄3 innings, the fewest by any club’s starting rotation through its first six games of a season since 1900. The starters had a 0.53 ERA and a 0.68 WHIP and struck out 35. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler were not scored upon in 25 innings, allowing a combined eight hits and two walks and striking out 25.

The bullpen allowed one run in its first 17 innings. Even after the relievers allowed three runs Wednesday, the team ERA is 1.01 (all six runs against the Yankees have been earned).

Yankees pitchers have yet to allow a homer, the only staff in MLB that can make that claim.

“I mean, what a week of pitching,” manager Aaron Boone said.

The organization felt better about its top-to-bottom pitching leaving spring training than it has in years. Based on early returns, with good reason.

And that’s without Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon.

2. Not so gentle Ben

Because of the consistency with which he blistered baseballs a year ago, Ben Rice quickly became a fan favorite, and he has done nothing to dissipate that feeling. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and a double Wednesday, giving him a 7-for-17 start. Rice, who has hit three doubles, scored six runs and driven in five, reached base safely in each of his five games (he did not start last Friday against Giants lefthander Robbie Ray).

The Yankees made a point all offseason of saying they envisioned Rice as their everyday first baseman. He did nothing in the first week, even as he still experiences the occasional growing pains learning what still is a new position, to think he won’t hold on to it.

3. Big start by Big G

Giancarlo Stanton, whose injury history since joining the Yankees before the 2018 season has been well-documented — he spent time on the injured list each year from 2019-25 — had a healthy and productive spring training, and it’s been more of the same one week into the regular season.

Stanton, given Wednesday afternoon off, recorded multiple hits in each of the Yankees’ first five games for a 10-for-20 start. He became the fourth player in franchise history to have multiple hits in each of the Yankees’ first five games, joining Alfonso Soriano (2003), Bill Skowron (1956) and Bob Meusel (1928); the latter trio each did it in the first six games of those seasons.

“He’s been one of the best hitters in the game for a long time,” Fried said of Stanton, who has one homer and two doubles and is 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

4. Could Aaron Judge get booed?

This, of course, would seem an absurd question except . . . it can’t be ruled out. He actually heard a smattering of boos at the end of spring training in Tampa, and his rough start to the season puts that possibility in play for the home opener.

Judge went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in the March 25 opener in San Francisco, causing some fans and media to lose their collective minds, as the perspective of 1-of-162 was lost on far too many.

The three-time American League MVP assuredly will hear the loudest cheers during pregame introductions Friday, but with Judge 3-for-24 with 11 strikeouts, one senses that a couple of ugly plate appearances, especially in critical situations, could turn that around.

5. Better weather

The forecast for the home opener seven days ago looked, well, foul. The forecast, however, now calls for some clouds but temperatures in the mid-60s.

“Looks like a pretty good day,” Boone said. “A week ago looking out to that day, it looked like cold and drizzly and all that. Seems like that forecast has been steadily improving the last couple of days, so looks like Friday and Saturday have a chance to be really nice days back there. Always exciting to have Opening Day in the Bronx and at Yankee Stadium.”

It certainly will feel far better for the players than the series in Seattle, where the real-feel temperature for all three games was in the low-to-mid 40s.

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.