Yankees walkup songs: The stories behind the music

Alex Verdugo

Walkup song: "Volver, Volver" by Vicente Fernández

“Vicente Fernández is one of my dad and I’s favorite artists; we listened to him all the time when we were younger. I had that song with the Dodgers, I carried it over with the Red Sox and now I carried it over here.”

“Lately I’ve been experimenting with other songs, secondary songs. There’s some DMX in there, Grillz with Paul Wall — [Anthony] Rizzo threw that one in there because I have grills. I’m staying true to Volver, Volver, though. It’s something that relaxes me when I play and, when I hear it, it helps slow the whole situation down. That’s what I love about it.”

“It can get to me a little bit. If we’re not hitting or something, there needs to be something we can do differently and sometimes that's the song. For the most part, I’m pretty decent at keeping that out of it but the superstition creeps in once in a while.”

“It depends what the song is saying, the beat of it, how it makes you feel. There are some songs where a couple parts of it will make you say, ‘Man, this is what gets me going. This is what fires me up.’ If I’m feeling sluggish, I need a song that will get me back up.”

Juan Soto

Walkup songs: "I Like it" by Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin; "Estamos Arriba" by Bad Bunny and Myke Tower

“This year it was so tough for me to find one. I’m actually thinking of changing it today. I definitely took [Estamos Arriba] from Willy Adames from the Milwaukee Brewers. I’ve been texting him like, ‘Man, I’m sorry but I’m taking your walk up song.’”

“I’ve been thinking — I don’t know if I’m going to change it 100% — but I’ve listened to I Like It by Bad Bunny and Cardi B. It’s really the Bronx style which got me thinking of changing it.”

“I like to be feeling myself, I like to get into a really good rhythm. It’s a song that’ll pop into my head and it’ll get me going; it’ll get the crowd going. I’m not only thinking about me, I want the crowd to get going so I can get going too.”

“I’m not superstitious, I’m just feeling good. When I find a song that makes me feel good I just change it.”

Aaron Judge

Walkup song: "Hello" by Pop Smoke ft. A Boogie wit da Hoodie

“I like doing New York artists for the most part. It’s something that gets me pumped up, it gets the crowd pumped up. I fell upon this one from just hours upon hours of playing walk-up songs, replaying the intro in my head. Honestly, I think my wife gets pissed at me because we’ll be driving and I’ll just restart songs over and over asking what she thinks. This one sounded right, it sounded like it has a good beat and I just fell in love with it.”

“For me, it’s just about getting locked in. it takes my mind off the crowd, takes my mind off of everything and it gives me something to listen to and focus on the pitcher.”

“I actually switched it not long ago to Swag Surfin’ and some fans got mad at me for that so I decided to go back.”

“The superstition gets to me a little bit. I used to have two walk-up songs that I’d go back and forth with. If I got a hit with one and then not with the other it would kind of start to get in my head and mess with me, so I decided on one song that works and gets me where I need to be.”

Austin Wells

Walkup song: "Livin’ on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi

“I was kind of messing around with a few songs in the spring, seeing what felt right. I knew Bon Jovi is kind of local and that felt important, and the crowd loved it. The first couple series we played, they would play that song in the later innings and the whole crowd would sing it, so I figured I have to use that song.”

“I enjoy hearing the songs, but I’m more focused on myself than what it’s doing for me. I want to feel some energy. I just want to be in tune with myself and with the crowd, that’s really it. Not too superstitious about that.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Walkup song: "Jazz Chisholm" by P KAYE

"I'm definitely going to change it to a New York song. I'm thinking probably 'Run This Town' or ‘Encore.'"

Gleyber Torres

Walkup song: "El Hacha Macizon" by Tambor Urbano

“I just really like the song. It’s hard to choose a walkup song because I like so many songs, but for those 12 or 13 seconds you have, you have to choose a song [to] really pump yourself up. Those songs make me feel more excited.”

“I’ve changed the song twice now, but I am superstitious. If I choose a song and I get a really good win then I just keep it.”

Ben Rice

Walkup song: "Feel Good Inc." by Gorillaz

“It’s nothing crazy, I just like it. It’s a little different, I’ve never heard anyone walk out to it before. It’s good vibes, it’s alternative, it’s a happy mood. I wanted to find something that’s representative of me, but is also a song that a lot of people know or have heard and like. I used this song all of last year too, so I stuck with it. The superstition can get to me a little bit, so I might change it at some point down the road."

Anthony Volpe

Walkup song: "Where You Are" by John Summit

“I just asked for peoples’ opinions and that’s what I landed on. I like it, hopefully the fans like it and my sister likes it a lot. I feel like if you listen to a song enough you end up not liking it anymore. If I ever switch it, it would be because of that — not superstition. I want to feel some energy. The song is a reflection of you and it shows a bit of personality, so I wanted a fun and energetic song.”

DJ LeMahieu

Walkup song: "Speed it Up" by Gunna

“I honestly didn’t have anything planned so I just panicked the day of and ended up sticking with it.”

“I know some guys who are a little superstitious about it, changing their songs in and out. I don’t really get that feeling, though.”

“I don’t really pay too much attention to the song, honestly. It’s more of a timing thing for me. You hear the song, you get in the box, that’s it.”

Carlos Rodon

Walkup song: "Rooster" by Alice in Chains

“Everyone knows the song. There’s a line in there, ‘They ain’t found a way to kill me yet,’ that really resonates with me. I’m not going to quit no matter the situation.”

“It really resonates with me. Every time I go out and compete I want to give my 100%, I’ll never give in. It’s a line that kind of embodies my work.”

“I like to feel those jitters, I like to feel those goosebumps when I’m walking out. 'Rooster' helps with that.”

Clay Holmes

Walkup song: "White Horse" by Chris Stapleton

“It’s a cool rock/country intro. I’m a Chris Stapleton fan so it gets me feeling good.”

“It was brought up in spring training. Some guys were playing some music in the cages and that song came on and people said it would be a good walkup song. I thought about it a little bit and I liked it when I listened to so I went with it.”

“I haven’t really thought about changing it. Maybe I will someday down the road but I’ve been liking it.”