Yankees' Jahmai Jones all smiles after hitting first career home run on Mother's Day

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A player hitting a home run on Mother’s Day would be special regardless.

For the Yankees’ Jahmai Jones, it was even more so.

And not just because the one Jones hit leading off the third inning of Sunday’s 10-6 victory over the Rays was his first career homer, or that it came in only his seventh at-bat of the season in just his second start.

“Getting to be in the lineup with the Yankees, it’s special in itself,” the 26-year-old utilityman said. “But doing it on Mother’s Day, it’s something I’ll never forget. My mom means a lot to me. We’ve been through a lot together, and to do it on this day, I can’t really put it into words. Can’t wait to give her a call after this.”

Jones’ father, former NFL linebacker Andre Jones, died of a brain aneurysm in 2011 at the age of 42 as Jahmai, then 13, was entering his freshman year of high school. An already close relationship with his mother, Michele, became that much closer.

“Going through that, she had to take a lot of different things on to keep everything as normal as it could be,” Jones said. “Without her, I wouldn’t here for sure.”

Not surprisingly, a text message from Jones’ mom was waiting for him when he reached the clubhouse after the game.

“She just said, ‘I’m so happy for you. The fact you did it on Mother’s Day is special,’ ” said Jones, who was in possession of the home run ball, which was retrieved by Yankees security. “Again, can’t wait for a phone call later.”

Before getting to that text, however, Jones was the center of attention in a raucous postgame celebration as he was awarded the player-issued “star of the game” championship belt.

Since he became a Yankee as a waiver claim from the Brewers in February, seldom has Jones been seen without a smile on his face. His relentlessly positive energy, despite not a lot of playing time, is the primary reason he quickly has become one of the best-liked and most respected players in the clubhouse. As his homer cleared the leftfield fence, players poured out of the visitor’s dugout, with Aaron Judge practically hurdling the top rail.

“Everybody enjoyed [it], I think more than him [Jones],” Gleyber Torres said with a smile. “He’s a guy working really hard. He got an opportunity to play today and did amazing. That’s the beautiful part of playing baseball.”

Jones all but shrugged in explaining his attitude.

“It’s kind of hard to have a bad day,” he said. “I love it, man. I love baseball, I love being a part of this team. We’re winning, and that’s all that matters. Wherever I fit in . . . as long as the team’s winning, you’re never going to not see me smiling.”