Today the hometown Houston Astros hit the field for the first time in 2014 season, as they host the New York Yankees in a night game at Minute Maid Park.
Although this the Astros season debut, the majority of MLB teams started on Monday, as baseball season got into full swing across the country. The actual opening day was over a week ago, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks played a two-game series in Australia, officially beginning the 2014 MLB calendar.
In just the past year alone, the Texans and Astros have intersected on multiple occasions. In this very game in 2013 (Opening Day), star defensive end J.J. Watt, donned in an Astros jersey, threw out the first pitch.
Watt has also took batting practice that day with the Astros, an event that produced perhaps one of the funniest side-by-side images of professional athletes you'll ever see. The 6-foot-5 Watt posed next to 5-foot-6 second baseman Jose Altuve, a photo that shows the vast difference of what kind of size it takes to succeed at each respective sport.
¡Viva José! RT @astros: Hey @HoustonTexans, can we get your H-Town support for #JoseAltuve as #FaceofMLB? pic.twitter.com/7ZR51losQy — Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 30, 2014
DeAndre Hopkins also got in on the baseball festivities in 2013, as the talented wide out tossed the ceremonial first pitch shortly after the Texans drafted him. Hopkins, despite not having played baseball since he was 10 years old, fired a pitch across home plate.
WR @Nukdabomb @ the @astros game last night. Read abt the impact he's making at #Texans OTAs: http://t.co/8qlDMR0xUe pic.twitter.com/dqby5sik0A — Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) May 22, 2013