New York sports venues re-opened in February, in time for the stretch run NHL and NBA seasons and ahead of the 2021 baseball season.
In the Bronx, the Yankees will open the season on April 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mets home opener will be April 8 at Citi Field in Queens.
Like other sporting venues in the city, attendance will be limited to 10 percent of capacity. At Yankee Stadium, that means 5,400 fans per game. In Queens, entry will be capped at 4,200.
The reopening coincides with a feeling of enthusiasm for New York fans. For hockey fans, up-and-coming players such as Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Igor Shesterkin are the brightest stars in a lineup filled with promise.
Same could be said for the Devils, across the Hudson in Newark, headed by newly-named captain Nico Hischier. And out in Uniondale, the Islanders currently sit atop the East Division following an appearance in last year’s conference final.
As usual, however, all eyes will be on the Yankees as the team heads north to try to put an end to a 12-year World Series drought. Following a second-place AL East finish and a hairsbreadth from a berth in the AL Championship Series, the team is loaded with power-hitters including Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, as well as Gerrit Cole, who is expected to anchor the pitching staff.
Even the Mets, while not expected to contend for a playoff spot, have shored up their lineup with shortstop Francisco Lindo.
“I feel like we’re in a good place starting out,” Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman told The New York Post.
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