Yankees Rookie's First Hit: A Mother's Day Gift to Remember

Spencer Jones gave his mother a Mother's Day gift that can't be wrapped or bought in any store.

The Yankees rookie drilled the very first pitch he saw Sunday into center field for his first Major League hit, a blazing 106.4 mph single that also drove in his first career run. His mom was sitting behind the dugout at American Family Field in Milwaukee, watching her son achieve a dream he'd worked toward his entire life.

Jones's family arranged their trip to Milwaukee the moment he called Thursday night with news of his big league promotion. They'd watched him strike out in four of his first six at-bats, including his very first Major League plate appearance on Friday.

But Sunday's second inning erased all those early struggles. After teammate José Caballero doubled to the wall, Jones smoked a liner up the middle that brought him home for an early Yankees lead.

As Jones stood on first base, he pumped his fist directly toward the seats where his family sat cheering. "I'm glad that my family was here to share that with me," Jones said afterward, the game ball already sitting in a display case at his locker.

The hardest part might be deciding who keeps the ball. Jones said he plans to share it with his family, though considering how hard he hit it, the ball emerged in surprisingly good shape.

Sunny's Take

There's something perfect about a first hit landing on Mother's Day. Years from now, Jones's mom won't need a scrapbook to remember this moment. She'll just recall the spring afternoon in Milwaukee when her son became a Major Leaguer in front of her eyes.

Teammate Aaron Judge noticed how composed Jones stayed all weekend despite facing one of baseball's toughest pitching staffs. "Everybody was waiting for it," Judge said of the dugout's reaction to the hit. "Just happy his family could be here for him."

When asked about his first thought after hitting his walk-off homer in the same game, Brewers player Brice Turang had a similar answer: "To call my mom for Mother's Day."

Some Mother's Day gifts come from the heart, and some come screaming off the bat at 106 miles per hour.