Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium was one of those venues that every stadium chaser has to see at least once. No franchise has more history than the New York Yankees, and I wanted to see how the new ballpark in the Bronx carries all of it.

The game was the Yankees hosting the San Diego Padres on May 28, 2023, the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. It was billed as a pitchers’ duel between Gerrit Cole and Yu Darvish, but it turned into a slugfest. Jake Cronenworth homered for San Diego in the first inning, and Aaron Judge answered with a solo shot in the bottom half. The Yankees then knocked Darvish out with a seven-run third inning, highlighted by five straight hits from Kyle Higashioka, Anthony Volpe, Judge and Anthony Rizzo to open the inning. Darvish lasted just 2 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in more than a year.

The Padres did not go away. Rougned Odor hit a two-run homer off Cole in the seventh, but Harrison Bader homered in the eighth and Higashioka added an RBI single. The Yankees won 10-7 to take the series, Cole improved to 6-0, and the crowd of 47,295 was the largest in the Bronx at that point of the season.

Here are my thoughts on Yankee Stadium.

Pros

The history is everywhere you look. The Yankees have won 27 World Series titles, and the building is designed to make sure you never forget it. The Great Hall greets you when you walk in, banners of Yankee legends hang overhead, and the championship history is on display all around the concourses.

Monument Park is a must. Tucked beyond the center field wall, it holds the monuments and retired numbers of the greatest players in franchise history, from Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig to Mickey Mantle and Derek Jeter. Get there early, because it closes before first pitch.

My seat was in Section 117B, Row 12, and it came with a meal package. The total was $358.62. That is a premium price, but the seat put me close to the action on the field level, and having food taken care of made for an easy afternoon at the ballpark.

Getting there is easy. The subway drops you right at the ballpark at 161st Street–Yankee Stadium on the 4, B and D trains, and Metro-North has its own Yankees–E. 153rd Street station a short walk away. There is no reason to drive.

The atmosphere matched the setting. With a holiday weekend crowd of more than 47,000, the building was loud from the first inning, and Judge’s home run brought everybody to their feet.

Cons

The prices are some of the highest in baseball. Between tickets, parking and concessions, a game in the Bronx adds up fast, so a package that includes food is worth looking at.

The crowds take some patience. With a sellout-type crowd, the concourses get packed and the trains after the game are standing room only. Give yourself extra time on both ends.

Overall Game Day Experience

I would give Yankee Stadium a 10 out of 10. The history, Monument Park, the easy subway ride and a 10-7 Yankees win on a holiday weekend made it everything I hoped it would be. The only knocks are the prices and the crowds, and that comes with the territory in New York.

If you are working your way through MLB ballparks, Yankee Stadium is a must-see venue. Take the subway, get there early for Monument Park and soak in the history.