Jack Hughes Shines at Yankees’ Home Opener

Jack Hughes, the talented center for the New Jersey Devils, is visibly in high spirits once again. At the New York Yankees’ home opener against the Miami Marlins, he put on a big smile while throwing out the first pitch alongside fellow Team USA gold medalist Aerin Frankel.

Hughes shared with reporters that he’d thrown about 50 pitches that morning, which left his shoulder a bit sore. “I thought, I need to cool it down,” he said, reflecting on his preparation.

Despite having lost a few teeth during a game, Hughes was all smiles during Team USA’s recent win against Canada in Milan-Cortina. He described it as an honor to throw the first pitch after scoring the winning run earlier in Italy.

Hughes also expressed some nerves about the event, saying, “I knew a lot was going to happen, but I thought this was the one thing. I was always hoping and hoping and wishing, and then I thought, Opening Day. Wow, that’s too much, dude. That’s a lot of pressure.”

Frankel, a goaltender from New York, was thrilled to carry on the Olympic festivities with Hughes in the Bronx. “It was great,” she noted. “It’s so much fun to be at the Olympics with the men’s team, to cheer them on, and to see them win gold medals. It was the first time in history that the women’s and men’s teams accomplished that together. So, it was a lot of fun to celebrate here in New York.”