Harrison Bader has had an interesting season.
He began the year with the St. Louis Cardinals, who ultimately traded him to the New York Yankees at the deadline in exchange for Jordan Montgomery.
Of course, when the trade took place, Bader was on the injured list with plantar fasciitis.
Now, Bader is back and is proving to be every bit as good as advertised with his new team.
And in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, Bader made a little Yankees history.
Bader hit a solo home run off of Cal Quantrill in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game.
That made him the first player in Yankees history to hit his first home run with his new team in the postseason.
Harrison Bader is the first player in Yankees history to have his first career home run with the team come in the postseason. pic.twitter.com/mMXojEeZvq
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 12, 2022
Bader Makes Yankees History
At the time the trade was made, many seemed to believe that the Cardinals won the deal.
Think again.
Bader has been to the postseason before with St. Louis, but now has a chance to experience what October baseball is like in the Bronx.
Everything is magnified and each moment could be a momentum shifter.
But Bader went straight to work for the Yankees in Game 1, sending one over the left field wall to tie the game, as fellow former Cardinal Matt Carpenter applauded him from the Yankees dugout.
It was also Bader’s first career postseason home run, and it opened the scoring for the Yankees, who overcame an early deficit and took Game 1 by a final of 4-1 to gain an early advantage in the ALDS.
Bader went 1-for-3 on the night.
Game 2 of the series will take place Thursday at 7:37 p.m. Eastern Time, with Nestor Cortes getting the ball for the Yankees.
NEXT: Gerrit Cole Joins An Exclusive Club After Game 1 Win