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Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka recently returned to Yankee Stadium for a game against his former team, the New York Yankees. Higashioka made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2017 and remained with the club through the 2023 season.
In December 2023, he was traded to the San Diego Padres. After spending a year in San Diego, he signed a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers.
To honor their former catcher, the Yankees played a tribute video on the Yankee Stadium jumbotron during the opening game of a three-game series against the Rangers. The clip featured several moments from Kyle Higashioka’s time in pinstripes and ended with the caption:
“Welcome back, Kyle Higashioka.”
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Before Tuesday night’s game, Higashioka shared his heartfelt thoughts about his time in New York:
"Being a Yankee is really special. I feel extremely privileged to have been a part of this organization for so many years. The fans were really good to me. I loved playing in front of them."
The Yankees put on a solid performance in Tuesday’s game, defeating the Rangers 5-2. The Bronx Bombers took the lead in the second inning with Ben Rice’s 376-foot solo home run. Rice contributed again in the fourth inning, hitting a sacrifice fly that allowed Aaron Judge to score.
In the sixth, Anthony Volpe extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI double. Aaron Judge added two more runs in the eighth with a 326-foot home run.
The Rangers were held scoreless through the first eight innings and managed to score only in the ninth, when Jonah Heim hit a two-run homer.
Kyle Higashioka reflects on his time with the Yankees since being drafted in 2008
The New York Yankees selected Kyle Higashioka in the seventh round of the 2008 MLB Draft. He spent nearly a decade in the minors before finally being promoted to the big leagues in 2017.
Reflecting on his long journey with the Yankees, Higashioka said in 2023 (via MLB):
“When I sit and look back at it, it’s been a pretty special ride, especially for the relationships I’ve built here in this organization and all the teammates I’ve had over the years. Actually, a lot of the teammates I had in the Minors are now coaches in the organization. It’s pretty funny, but yeah, it’s pretty crazy. But I feel like I’ve still got a lot left in me. So, I’m trying to keep it going.”
The Yankees are set to face the Texas Rangers again on Wednesday in the second game of their three-game series.
