There were no tickets available for Sunday’s power vs. power showdown of Aaron Judge against Gerrit Cole, because none were sold. With the Yankees stars under long-term contracts and expected to play the rest of their careers in pinstripes,

Judge took Cole deep for one of his patented left-field home runs, according to Hoch. The Yankees play the Boston Red Sox on Monday afternoon but neither veteran will be in the lineup. Cole is not expected to pitch until the next turn in the rotation. And Judge won't play until March 1.

“The only information we were offered, from (Yankees general manager Brian) Cashman, was that we’re not trying to look like Duck Dynasty. No diss against Duck Dynasty. You’re grinding in the woods all the time, you don’t really have another option. But that was the only clarification we got.”

Two stalwarts of the Yankees were up against each on opposite sides of the plate. Before the Yankees' spring training game on Sunday, former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole faced some of the best hitters, including Aaron Judge, in a live batting session.

The New York Yankees have dropped their ban on beards, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner.

There were a couple of mornings during the offseason when Gerrit Cole woke up in the unfamiliar role of free agent, available to all suitors after having opted out of his Yankees contract. Yet the right-hander always expected to be right here,

Aaron Boone went from having to police stubble to having to determine what qualifies as a “well-groomed” beard.