BRONX, NY — There was a different sense and feel when walking out onto the diamond this past Saturday in the Bronx.
A nostalgic like-feel with legends of the pinstripes taking part in the Yankees’ 78th Annual Old-Timers’ Day. Braves players and coaches took notice and even watched the festivities transpire from the visiting dugout prior to first pitch.
Luis Sojo and Jorge Posada were two of over 50 former Yankees to don the pinstripes for Saturday’s Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
One of those donning the pinstripes once again was 55-year-old Jorge Posada, a former five-time All-Star, who serves as a bridge to the last Yankees dynasty. For those who didn’t get to see him play, his success in pinstripes goes way beyond the five World Series championships and his career numbers over 17 years.
Though they do tell a lot about who he was on the diamond and continues to be off it.
A champion.
Born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Posada, with Dominican and Cuban roots—debuting in 1995 and retiring after the 2011 season—compiled 1,664 hits, 275 home runs, and 1,065 RBI. Amongst Puerto Rican-born MLB players all-time, he ranks 15th in hits, ninth in HRs and 11th in RBI.
“My favorite memories in Puerto Rico were practicing and having a catch with my dad as a child,” Posada said in an interview with Latino Sports on Saturday during Old-Timers’ Day batting practice.
Jorge Posada received a loud applause from the Yankee Stadium crowd of 45,222 during Saturday’s Old-Timers’ Day introductions – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Playing a massive role on the last Yankees World Series team to win it all in 2009, Posada, appearing in six career Fall Classics, sees the current state of the catching position as significantly worse than when he was behind the plate.
“It’s atrocious. It’s not what we were taught. It’s just completely different,” he said. “It’s tough to see what’s going on, it’s just a different ball game. Baseball right now has changed so much from what I was taught.”
A cat at times behind the dish, Posada went on to say: “What was completely emphasized in my head was to keep the ball in front of you and then don’t let that ball go by.”
On the offensive front for catchers across MLB this season, the average OPS of catchers is .681. When Posada retired in 2011, it was .23 points higher at .704.
One of the moments that stands out to Posada during his legendary pinstripe run was his eighth inning two-run single against Pedro Martinez to tie Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS—the night Aaron Boone sent the Yankees to the ‘03 World Series and the Red Sox home packing.
“I got 56,000 people behind me, and my reaction says it all. Obviously, a tough pitcher to hit, but I was able to help the team out on that day,” Posada said. “It was one of my favorite moments. When you advance and then see Aaron Boone hitting a home run, you know you accomplished something and it was to go to another World Series again.”
As the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers have accomplished the first two steps in a potential October three-peat, the last three-peat in MLB took place with the Yankees from 1998-2000 and Posada having a key part of those victories.
“I would say all of them are different,” he said of which World Series ranks No. 1 to him.
“They’re very unique because you have different teammates, but I love them all.”
For 2026 Old-Timers’ Day in the Bronx, the Yankees celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 1996 World Series championship winning team that beat the Braves in six games (4-2) – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Posada was happy to get back on the diamond while reconnecting with several teammates and fellow champions in different eras of Yankees baseball on Old-Timers’ Day.
“I don’t know if you can call this playing (smiles), but I’m here and I’m enjoying it by seeing my teammates again. There’s people here that I don’t see often, so I’m happy to see all of them.”
Orlando “El Duque” Hernández and Jorge Posada cracking jokes during the Old-Timers’ Day exhibition game at Yankee Stadium this past Saturday afternoon – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
For the record, Posada did play in the game and recorded a hit against his former pinstripe teammate Orlando “El Duque” Hernández.
Posada’s World Baseball Classic Experience with Team Italy
Posada, close friends and former teammates of Team Italy’s manager Francisco Cervelli, had the opportunity to be an assistant hitting coach for Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic and even went up against his homeland of Puerto Rico in the WBC quarterfinals.
“It was tough playing against Puerto Rico,” he revealed. “When they were singing the anthem, I got choked up. It was hard for me. That day for me was very hard to play against Puerto Rico, but once the game started, it was about business. We were very lucky that we pitched really well that day and were able to get past them because they were a tough team.”
Before, during and after the WBC, Cervelli had high praises for Posada, and his desire to continue to give back to the game now—telling players on Team Italy to get as much information as possible from him throughout their time together in the tournament.
“This guy knows about winning. This guy knows about the game. He played more than everybody else,” Cervelli said back in March. “He’s got five (World Series) rings. So whatever you can take from him or from the whole coaching staff, it’s going to be good for your career.”
Later asked by Latino Sports if he would want to manage or be a coach for a MLB team down the line, Posada responded:
“It doesn’t look good for me. So I don’t know if I could say yes, but it’s hard and it would have to be the right situation.”
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