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Ottawa Senators Expand Wild Card Lead With 3-2 Win Over Columbus Blue Jackets

Mar 29, 2025: Ottawa Senators winger Fabian Zetterlund (20) battles in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

For the second straight game, the Ottawa Senators picked up a huge victory at the expense of an Eastern Conference wild-card hopeful.

Ridly Greig had a goal and an assist as the Senators defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 at Canadian Tire Centre in front of 17,758 fans. Shane Pinto added two assists, while Linus Ullmark made 29 saves.

Sens headlines:

One On One: GM Steve Staios' Additions Help To Reset The Ottawa Senators

UND Fires Brad Berry, Unofficial Member of Ottawa's Player Development Team

Former Ottawa Senator Jakob Chychrun Gets Massive Deal In Washington

The victory leaves the Senators eight points above the Eastern Conference playoff cut line, ahead of Columbus, the idle Montreal Canadiens, and the New York Rangers. The Rangers will play later on Saturday night in San Jose.

Greig opened the scoring just over seven minutes into the first period, tipping in a low wrist shot from Thomas Chabot. However, the lead lasted only 31 seconds. Ullmark kicked out a big rebound into the slot, allowing Boone Jenner to fire a wrist shot past him to tie the game at 1.

With under six minutes left in the first, Drake Batherson corralled a loose puck in the slot and beat Daniil Tarasov between the legs, restoring Ottawa’s lead.

The Senators were even more dominant in the second period, but Tarasov stymied several great scoring chances. Jake Sanderson did manage to find the net on a two-on-one opportunity. Pinto directed the puck toward the net, and the rebound deflected off Sanderson’s body and in, making it 3-1. The whole play was set up by Greig's slick neutral zone chip pass off the boards that set Pinto free behind the defence.

Entering the third period down by two, Columbus was likely feeling the effects of an emotional game the night before against the Vancouver Canucks. But the Senators failed to finish their chances, letting the Blue Jackets hang around, and with under nine minutes to play, Kirill Marchenko cut the Ottawa lead to 3-2.

That gave the Blue Jackets some life, but despite a hard push, they couldn't find the equalizer. As it was in Thursday's win in Detroit, the third period for the Senators was a 'bend don't break' scenario. But the Sens were the better team and had enough chances to put the game out of reach a lot earlier.

"Yeah, top to bottom everybody was good, so it's good to see," Greig told the media. "I thought we were on top of them throughout the whole game. We were able to turn pucks over and kind of play fast."

Head coach Travis Green says he's pleased that his depth is coming through – all four lines are rolling and contributing at both ends of the rink.

"Yeah, and it's good when you have options as a coach," Green told the media. "You can make subtle changes to your lineup. You know, we've got Gauds and Highzy with Ammo on the fourth line right now (Adam Gaudette, Matthew Highmore, and Michael Amadio). And Ammo has played some really good hockey. The good teams have some depth they can play with and we're getting there for sure."

They'll need that depth on Sunday in a quick turnaround for a 5 pm game in Pittsburgh, where they'll face a Penguins team that's tracking to miss the playoffs for a third straight season.

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Can Missouri's Armand Membou play left tackle in NFL?

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

Missouri's Armand Membou has become increasingly prominent among scouts and draft analysts, standing at No. 16 on Yahoo Sports' consensus NFL Draft big board. He is drawing significant attention for his athleticism and potential versatility. Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice analyzed Membou's pros and cons on a podcast episode of "Football 301" with former NFL head coach Mike Tice.  

Membou primarily played right tackle for Missouri. That's where his athleticism truly shines. He plays with excellent change of direction and agility and possesses footwork that stands out, especially in the high-paced college football game. His ability to handle wide receiver screens and perform in open space positions him well for teams that value dynamic offensive line play. Membou's skills with arm extension enables him to keep defenders away effectively, a technique that is critical as linemen face increasingly sophisticated defensive maneuvers.

One crucial question surrounding Membou is his versatility — does he have the capability to transition to left tackle? 

While many believe he possesses the athleticism to make the switch, the spotlight remains on ensuring his technique and strength are where they need to be in the NFL. Membou's fit seems almost tailor-made for schemes that prioritize outside zone runs, thanks to his exceptional ability to get out in space quickly and manage blocking in motion.

Though Membou's agility is undeniable, there are areas for growth that the Missouri standout can focus on to elevate his game further. Improving his strength will be critical, ensuring he can hold his ground against more massive NFL defenders. Nevertheless, with his current trajectory and skills, Membou is set to meet and exceed these challenges through further development.

To hear more NFL discussions, tune into "Football 301" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Devils beat Wild, 5-2, behind Nico Hischier's hat trick

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Nico Hischier scored three goals for his second hat trick of the season and the New Jersey Devils beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2 on Saturday.

Paul Cotter and Tomas Tatar also scored, Jesper Bratt had two assists, and Jacob Markstrom stopped 22 shots for the Devils. New Jersey won for the second time in six games (2-3-1).

Marcus Foligno and Ryan Hartman scored and Filip Gustavsson made 28 saves for the Wild, who have lost three of four.

Minnesota is tied with St. Louis for the top wild card in the Western Conference, with the teams six points ahead of Vancouver. The Blues beat Colorado 2-1 Saturday for their ninth straight win.

After New Jersey was blanked 4-0 Friday in Winnipeg, Hischier scored 29 seconds into the game and Cotter scored before six minutes elapsed for a 2-0 lead.

Hischier made it 3-1 early in the third, but Hartman answered two minutes later for the Wild. Hischier completed his first three-goal game since Nov. 25 with a power-play goal with 5:10 remaining. Hischier has a career-high 33 goals this season.

Foligno also had an assist on Hartman’s goal in the third period, and a major for fighting the Devils’ Jonathan Kovacevic for a Gordie Howe hat trick.

Takeaways

Devils: Hischier, whose first goal was the fastest to start the game for New Jersey this season, has points in 10 of his last 11 games with seven goals and six assists.

Wild: Minnesota finished 5-5-1 in a stretch it played 10 of 11 games at home. Five of the last eight games are on the road, where the Wild are second in the NHL with 47 points (22-11-3).

Key moment

New Jersey just missed making it 3-1 with 15 seconds left in the second period. On a 3-on-1 Bratt’s shot looked to be going in, but it went off the skate of teammate Timo Meier who was crossing at the edge of the crease and the puck deflected wide.

Key stat

Per NHL Stats, Bratt’s two assists give him 15 this month, the most in a month by a Devils player since Scott Gomez had 16 in March 2004. Bratt has a career-high 66 assists this season.

Up next

Wild visit New Jersey on Monday to complete the home-and-home set.

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3 NHL Records Penguins' Captain Crosby Will Come Close To, But Won't Break

Sidney Crosby - Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is a first-ballot Hockey Hall of Famer whose career is worthy of skipping the mandatory three-year waiting period to enter the hall immediately upon retirement.

Recently, Crosby broke Wayne Gretzky's record for averaging a point per game for 20 seasons, a mark the Great One held for over 27 years. Considering these hockey legends are two of the greatest to play professional hockey, their longevity has allowed them to break or hold some important NHL records.

BREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordBREAKING: Sidney Crosby Breaks Wayne Gretzky's Point-Per-Game Seasons RecordAfter 20 years in the making, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has made NHL history.

However, both missed some milestones despite playing 20 or more seasons in the league. Today, we want to look at three NHL records that Crosby, who still has two seasons left on his contract, won't be able to tie or break despite over two decades in the NHL.

Most Seasons by a First Overall Pick

Crosby was the top pick in the 2005 Draft, which took place seven seasons into Joe Thornton's career. Thornton was the first overall selection in the 1997 Draft and would play 24 seasons in the NHL, including 17 after Crosby entered the league in 2005-06.

Interestingly, these two top picks met in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins won the series in six games, and Crosby took home the Conn Smythe Trophy, Thornton's only appearance in the Final.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesPittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and on pace to miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks of the regular season. 

Although Crosby has outscored Thornton in goals (618-430) and points (1,676-1539), Sid the Kid is still chasing Jumbo Joe in assists (1,109-1,058). He needs 51 over the two seasons to move up to seventh all-time, which is Thornton's place.

Since Crosby is wrapping up his 20th season, when his contract expires in 2027, he'll be two seasons short of Thornton's record of 24 seasons. However, if he remains healthy, Crosby will surpass Mike Modano (21 seasons) for second-most seasons by a first-overall pick. 

Most Seasons With 80 Points

On March 27, 2025, Crosby scored a first-period goal to net his 80th point, which gave him the NHL record for most seasons averaging a point per game.

That historical night also marked the 14th time in his career that Crosby scored at least 80 points, breaking a four-way tie for most 80-point seasons, a mark he shared with Dale Hawerchuk, Mark Messier, and Marcel Dionne at 13.

'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of Teammates'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of TeammatesFollowing the team's regular practice on Dec. 16, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis.

As mentioned before, Crosby has two seasons left on his deal. The Penguins captain hasn't scored less than 80 points since the shortened 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, the only two years he failed to reach 80 in over a decade dating back to the shortened 2012-13 season.

However, even if he continues collecting 80 points over the next two seasons, Crosby will end up one year short of Gretzky's record of 17 seasons of 80 points or more. 

Most Points by a Player in Their 30s

Crosby will turn 38 in August, and at the end of his contract in July 2027, he'll be 39, approaching 40. Since turning 30 ahead of the 2017-18 season, the captain has played 563 games, scored 236 goals with 413 assists, and has 649 points.

Ahead of his next game, Crosby ranks 18th all-time for points scored by an NHL player in his 30s. He's four points shy of catching Joe Pavelski (653) for 17th all-time. Pavelski is the only name ahead of Crosby on this list who is not in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

As expected, Gretzky owns this record thanks to 217 goals and 601 assists for 878 points, breaking the mark formerly held by Jean Ratelle, who had 861 points in his 30s.

 

Penguins Crosby Joins Exclusive Club With Another 80-Point Season Penguins Crosby Joins Exclusive Club With Another 80-Point Season Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored a first-period goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, March 27, securing his 14th 80-point season.

Thus far, only four players have scored over 800 points in their 30s, including Adam Oates (842) and Martin St. Louis (822). After these names, there are six names in the 700-point club, including Alex Ovechkin, who sits at 715. 

Once Crosby catches and surpasses Pavelski, next up is Joe Sakic (662), Norm Ullman (668), Daniel Alfredsson (672), Ray Bourque (680), and Brett Hull (690).

Considering the Penguins' captain has a career 1.24 points per game average, if he remains healthy over the next two seasons, he could potentially finish with an additional 204 points, which would give him an estimated 853 points in his 30s, which could be 25 points shy of Gretzky's all-time mark.

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Former Waterloo Black Hawk Defenseman Inks NHL Deal

Jul 7, 2022; Montreal, Quebec, CANADA; Sam Rinzel after being selected as the number twenty-five overall pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft at Bell Centre. Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Former Waterloo Black Hawk Sam Rinzel has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, less than two years after the defenseman’s final game at Young Arena.

Rinzel played for Waterloo during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 United States Hockey League seasons. He was drafted by Chicago during the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft.

The NHL’s Blackhawks chose him 25th overall. Rinzel has spent the past two years skating for the University of Minnesota Gophers.

In 2021/22, Rinzel appeared in 21 Waterloo regular season games, primarily after completing the high school season in Minnesota. He notched 10 points (2-8-10) and also was on the ice during all six of the Hawks’ 2022 Clark Cup Playoff games.

That summer, he became the fourth Waterloo player to be selected during the first round of the NHL Draft.

Returning to Waterloo for a full season in 2022/23, Rinzel produced 36 points (9-27-36) in 58 regular season contests and also tallied three points (1-2-3) in three playoff games.

Rinzel’s second USHL campaign was highlighted by three game-winning goals, eight multipoint nights, and a +14 plus/minus differential.

The Chanhassen, Minnesota, native advanced to the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2023. In two seasons with the Gophers, Rinzel played in 79 NCAA games, racking up 60 points (12-48-60). He was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team after his freshman year.

Earlier this month during the closing days of his sophomore season, Rinzel claimed the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award. His 31 points in 2024/25 ranked sixth among all college defensemen.

Within his time as a Gopher, Rinzel also represented the United States during the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championships. He returned from the competition with a gold medal.

Rinzel’s three-year contract with Chicago covers the current season. The Blackhawks have nine remaining games during 2024/25, including a matchup tomorrow at the United Center versus the Utah Hockey Club at 3 Pm.

An increasing number of players have skated in the USHL for Waterloo, then in the NHL for Chicago. This season, Craig Smith became the latest former USHL Black Hawk to join the NHL Blackhawks. The former Waterloo captain was traded to Detroit on March 7..

Zach Sanford is also currently under contract with Chicago and has spent the season with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. Vinnie Hinostroza, Blake Hillman, and Rem Pitlick have also played for Waterloo and Chicago.

Last summer, the Blackhawks drafted Waterloo’s top 2023/24 goal-scorer, John Mustard, with the 67th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

A dozen former Waterloo Black Hawks have played in the NHL this season. The group includes Max Sasson, the most recent Hawks alumnus to make his NHL debut. Sasson dressed for his first game with the Vancouver Canucks on November 23rd.

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David Stearns explains his thinking about a perceived Mets’ weakness, the starting rotation

HOUSTON -- It is a straightforward question, the one asked most by Mets fans at the beginning of this promising season: folks want to know if the starting rotation is good enough.

Or, more pointedly, they want to know why the Mets did not do more to build a name-brand rotation after investing so heavily in a top offense. Clay Holmes on Opening Day, they say. Griffin Canning in Game 3. Really?

It’s a fair question -- and it’s not just the usual internet knuckle draggers asking. It’s legitimate baseball people, like the longtime major league scout who told me simply this week that “the Mets don’t have enough pitching.”

The Mets themselves disagree. Strongly. And they’re not stupid. So what gives?

On our SNY shows and in conversation, I’ve handled this question by saying that one has to assume that president of baseball operations David Stearns and his people know what they are doing. Stearns made his reputation running the Brewers as a guy who oversaw the acquisition and development of great pitching.

Those are my words, though, not Stearns’. On Saturday evening, standing in the Mets’ dugout in Houston, I asked the man himself how he would answer this oft-posited challenge to his offseason work.

Here’s how I worded the question: “Why is this rotation, which does not look like a championship-caliber rotation to the untrained eye, something that you guys feel good about?”

Worth asking, right?

What Stearns said:

“We think we have really talented pitchers,” he said. “And it's the talented pitchers that are in our rotation right now. It's the talented pitchers who are presently on the IL and it's the talented pitchers who may be in the rotation later in the year.

“A lot of what we try to guard against over the course of the season is what you can't predict, right? You can't predict things like injuries. You can't predict things like underperformance. You also can't predict breakouts, and if you lock yourself in with no flexibility, you also don't have the opportunity to take advantage of breakouts.

“The notion of a championship-caliber rotation, I think, is one that is worthy of discussion. I think if we look at the actual champions of baseball over the last however long you want to look at -- decades, 15 years, 20 years, some of them might have the Hall of Famer at the front end of the rotation, and some of them have guys who signed one-year deals and were traded midseason and all of a sudden got on the heater in September and October, and a team rode them to a World Series championship. Teams can be built in a variety of different ways. And I think successful rotations can be built in a variety of different ways.

“The last thing I'll say is like the long-term, successful rotation depends upon our ability to develop really quality starters, right? And that is what we are aiming to do. That is what the continuously successful teams at this level do, and really, that is where our focus is."

I then asked Stearns if he thought of pitching more in terms of staff than rotation.

“I think certainly in the playoffs, you do, but in building your opening day staff, you do need -- especially as MLB has cracked down on the number of pitchers and has cracked down on the roster movement we can do in season -- you do need some length out of your rotation.

“I don't think it needs to be seven innings every night, but you do need some length out of your rotation and or if not, you will go through your bullpen, you'll pay the price at some point later in the year. So I don't discount all the importance of starting pitching. In fact, I think starting pitching is really important.”

Some additional thoughts:

What I heard there were three basic elements:

1) Confidence in the pitchers who the Mets chose and the people who chose them -- Canning, Holmes, Paul Blackburn etc.

2) A desire to develop aces from within, and maintain flexibility to allow for top pitching prospects to potentially contribute later this year.

3) A related desire to keep a lane open for trade acquisitions. I strongly expect the Mets to be in on Dylan Cease and Michael King, if the Padres make them available this summer, and any other rotation rentals. They are too well-resourced and ambitious to have a passive trade deadline.

Stearns has certainly earned credibility from his time with the Brewers, when the team developed starters Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta and Brandon Woodruff, along with a slew of top relievers. Now with the Mets, he is operating with new budget parameters and can not only oversee the ascent of homegrown pitchers, but sign them to contract extensions rather than lose them to free agency.

We can trust that when the Mets' front office hones in on a Blackburn at the trade deadline or a Canning in free agency, they see an element that excites them. It might be a plus pitch that has just started to click. It might be a potential adjustment in their delivery that, if implemented correctly by ace pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, could unlock a level of dominance.

The Mets know they will not hit on every acquisition; the $34 million ticketed for Frankie Montas’ bank account is not looking great at the moment. But when the team chooses a pitcher who seems random to us, it is always because of a specific quality or qualities that make that pitcher stand out.

Finally: did you notice when Stearns seemed to gently challenge the premise baked into my question about a “championship-caliber rotation,” and posited that champions assume many different shapes and structures?

To his point, the mighty Dodgers operated last October with Jack Flaherty at the top of their rotation. Flaherty is a talented pitcher, but he was a trade deadline acquisition pitching on a one-year deal after posting a 4.99 ERA the year before.

This was not how the Dodgers wanted to draw it up, or how they are attempting to draw it up this year, but it worked in 2024.

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Leafs Top Kings 3-1

© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs (44-25-4) are in California for a back-to-back series, as they faced the Los Angeles Kings (40-23-9) today and are scheduled to play the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow. Anthony Stolarz led the Leafs onto the ice for the game against the Kings, while Darcy Kuemper started in net for Los Angeles. Tanner Jeannot and Alex Turcotte remained day-to-day with their injuries. Playoffs are weeks away. The Kings need to stay sharp and win today – those two points are vital.

First Period Showdown 

The first period was underway with both the Kings and the Maple Leafs displaying a high level of physicality, energy, and engagement. The teams exchanged numerous hits until a fight broke out between Jeff Malott and Brandon Carlo, leading to five-minute major penalties for both. With the power play over, Kuemper continued to defend well, making key saves. Despite the scoreless outcome at the buzzer, the first period was anything but dull, played in front of a highly energetic and vocal crowd.

Bring On the Second

Alex Laferriere opened the scoring early, netting a backhand goal just one minute into the second period to give the Kings a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, the play saw Matthew Knies push Mikey Anderson, sending him into a collision with the Kings' net. Kuemper was slow to his feet but resumed in his net, nonetheless. As the period wound down, the Kings showcased their strengths: getting on the scoreboard early and keeping the puck out of their defensive zone. 

The Third Period Push

Kuemper provided solid and reliable goaltending, consistently bouncing back to his feet with impressive tenacity in the last forty minutes of play. As the last twenty minutes was underway, Auston Matthews' first shot was turned aside, but he scored on his second try at 19:05 with a snap shot, his twenty-ninth of the year. Immediately after, Los Angeles called a timeout for a review of the play. Los Angeles challenged Matthews' goal for a high stick, and the review was unsuccessful for the Kings, leading to a delay of game penalty against them. Locked at 1-1, the game took a turn for the worse for the Kings when Drew Doughty tripped Mitch Marner, resulting in a power-play and a potential goal for the Leafs. The Kings, now in a state of panic, scrambled frantically to defend their zone. Kuemper then tripped Matthews, drawing a tripping penalty. Almost as if on cue, John Tavares found the back of the net, giving the Leafs a 2-0 lead. The goal marked his 490th in his career. 

As Jim Fox nicely puts it, "it's one of those games." Tavares scored his second goal of the night and his 35th of the season, ultimately securing the win for the Maple Leafs. The final score saw the Kings fall to the Maple Leafs 3-1. Their next challenge would be a home game against the San Jose Sharks tomorrow.

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Max Fried's underwhelming Yankees debut shrouded by historic offense

Yankees left-hander Max Fried never needed to stress about run support in his pinstripe debut. His new teammates crushed a franchise-record nine home runs -- four of which came during the very first inning -- in an emphatic 20-9 drubbing of the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday in the Bronx.

But the historic offensive production didn't even help Fried register a win. The southpaw failed to complete five innings of work, as a slew of fielding errors and unlucky soft contact resulted in six Brewers runs -- two of which were earned -- by the time he was pulled with two outs in the fourth at 94 pitches.

Fried's underwhelming season debut simply took a back seat to the Yankees' onslaught. Blame it on the poor defense behind him, or the lengthy breaks in the dugout while the lineup flaunted its power. But the team's biggest acquisition of the winter didn't resemble his established ace self.

The obvious good news is that the calendar has yet to flip to April. It wasn't the performance that Fried wanted or fans expected, but it's easy to shrug off mistakes on Opening Weekend.

"I would've loved to [qualify for the win], but there were a lot of things throughout the outing that I didn't do my part in to be able to earn that," Fried said after the game. "Adding a bunch of pitches, the PFP [error] in the second inning added a bunch of pitches. I walked a bunch of guys. It wasn't a clean game. So at that point, if I wanted to be able to earn that, I should've done a lot more earlier in the game."

Fried's afternoon started on an efficient note. He induced a weak comebacker on the first pitch of the game, recorded a scoreless top frame, and watched sluggers Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge put on a show with three straight homers on three straight pitches from former Yankees lefty Nestor Cortes.

But a 4-0 lead entering the second inning didn't provide enough comfort. After allowing two singles and a hit-by-pitch, the Brewers scored their second run on a throwing error by Anthony Volpe. Two batters later, Fried committed his own gaffe with a poor throw to first base on another soft comebacker.

A pair of errors from Pablo Reyes and one from Jazz Chisholm Jr. extended the fourth and fifth innings, and Fried ultimately exited with a somewhat unsatisfying 16-6 lead.

"He did great. There were a few plays that we could've made behind him," Goldschmidt said of Fried. "He did a good job staying focused and just continuing to attack them. It wasn't a perfect outing, by any means. We kind of hurt him on defense a couple times... It just showed a lot about his character, the type of pitcher he is to not give in."

It's no secret that the Yankees are heavily relying on Fried to take command of the starting rotation. The team lost Gerrit Cole to season-ending elbow surgery earlier this month, and when they signed Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract in December, he assumed ace-level responsibilities.

The pressure on Fried is immense -- he's the de facto ace. But the results from Saturday aren't indicative of what's to come. The 30-year-old lefty earned two All-Star nominations during his eight-year run with the Atlanta Braves, and his 3.08 ERA over the last six seasons ranked third among starters with 800-plus innings.

Fried is slated to make his second start on the road next Friday, when the Yankees begin a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Manager Aaron Boone isn't the least bit worried about the prized lefty, even if the anomalous offense and defense make the trip to Pennsylvania.

"Obviously we didn't catch the ball great, that's an understatement. Probably not his best command, hitting a couple of guys," the skipper said of Fried. "As great of a fielder as he is, he didn't make a play. I thought overall he threw the ball fine, we're just giving way too many outs. It's hard to get a read on the outing, but I thought stuff-wise, he threw the ball well."

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Yankees flaunt revamped offense in slugfest against Brewers: 'We love our lineup'

With Juan Soto playing across town now after his one-year stint in The Bronx, the Yankees knew they had to do something during the offseason to make up for the loss of the generational 26-year-old.

That something was bringing in a cast of characters, including Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger, in an effort to lengthen their lineup and help with their depth outside of Aaron Judge. In just New York's second game of the season, those moves paid off in a big way.

Facing former Yankee Nestor Cortes and the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the regular season, Goldschmidt, Bellinger and Judge hit three straight home runs -- on three straight pitches -- off the lefty to start the game. Before most of the 46,683 fans in attendance could even sit down and take a bite out of their hot dog, the Bronx Bombers -- true to their name -- had a 3-0 lead.

"Swing first pitch," Judge said with a laugh on what was going through his mind walking up to the plate in that first inning. "The place was rocking once I got up there. I was just trying to control [my] breathing and just get a good pitch."

Good pitch he got, indeed, sending an 88-mph cutter 468 feet to left field, the farthest and loudest of the three first-inning home runs.

But it was Goldschmidt, making his first plate appearance at the leadoff spot, who got the party started with a solo shot to lead things off, just as Austin Wells, who was as unfamiliar batting first as Goldschmidt, did in Thursday's season opener. It was the 37-year-old's first hit as a Yankee.

Overall, the first baseman went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three runs scored, passing his first test batting leadoff with flying colors.

"It’s tough to start better than that," Goldschmidt said. "I just tried to take my same at-bat, my same mindset. Fortunately I was able to get a good pitch to hit and get it out of there."

Congratulations, Aaron Boone, you're two for two.

Fellow newcomer Bellinger followed soon after with a blast to right center field and in the blink of an eye, New York was on top, 2-0.

"That was a really cool moment," Bellinger said. "Super unique to be a part of and it was just nice to get the party started."

After hitting his first home run in pinstripes, Bellinger noted that Saturday's win was a great way for all of the newcomers to feel comfortable with their new team and get some of those firsts out of the way. Whether it be first hit with the new club, first home run, or even just first game as it was for J.C. Escarra, who made his MLB debut by pinch-hitting in the seventh inning.

Another first almost happened, too.

Following his first-inning homer, Judge hit a second home run (this one a grand slam) in the third before going yard again in the fourth for his third three-home run game, tying him with Joe DiMaggio and Alex Rodriguez for second in Yankees history behind Lou Gehrig's four.

"It’s a special group," Judge said. "Any time you get mentioned with those guys, with what they’ve done in the game and the careers they’ve had, it’s pretty special. Our story’s not done yet, so hopefully we can keep adding to those lists."

The reigning AL MVP would have three more plate appearances to try at his first four-homer game, something accomplished by just 18 players in MLB history.

In fact, Judge came a few feet away from achieving that feat after his RBI double off the right field wall in the sixth inning. Then in the eighth, facing position-player and former Yankee Jake Bauers, Judge hit another long fly ball to left field that barely left the yard but was caught.

"Nothing’s out of reach for him," Boone said. "I wanted to give him that opportunity at least."

Judge ended his day 4-for-6 with three homers and eight RBI -- quite the contrast from his less-than-stellar spring training.

As for the rest of the lineup, Wells, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Oswald Peraza also went deep, giving New York a total of nine home runs on the afternoon, a franchise record.

"We like where we’re at. We love our lineup, we love our depth, we love the guys that we got in this locker room and it’s gonna be fun," Bellinger said. "This is a very difficult game, but we got a lot of guys that have been there and are gonna have some fun doing it."