The New York Yankee Stadium is about to feel like a time machine! Old-Timers Day is back, and this year, like always, it’s more than just a ceremony. On Saturday, August 9, the Yankees will host their 77th Old Timers Day, presented by FreshDirect. It will mark the long-awaited return of the on-field alumni baseball game for the first time since 2019.
The event will also double as a tribute to one of the most dominant eras in New York Yankee history. They will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 2000 World Series victory over the New York Mets. A Subway Series win is a pride for the Bronx fans and the players. Over 40 former Yankees will be on the field for a few nostalgic innings before the current team faces the Astros. But even with all that history in place, one name will be missing from the roster—Derek Jeter.
Why Won’t Derek Jeter Attend Yankees Old-Timers’ Day 2025?
For all the fans who still see Derek Jeter as the face of that 2000 championship, the absence is hard-hitting. The Hall of Famer and 2000 World Series MVP has been a regular face at the Old Timers event. However, this time, he apparently has a personal commitment to make, and he put that ahead of his Bronx reunion. Wondering why that’s so important?
We’re excited to announce our 77th Old-Timers’ Day presented by @FreshDirect on Saturday, August 9, at @yankeestadium!
For the first time since 2019, the traditional Old-Timers’ Day alumni baseball game will take place! The event will also commemorate the 25th anniversary of the… pic.twitter.com/cKIyGM8xQr
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 21, 2025
According to the Yankees color commentator Suzyn Waldman, Derek Jeter will be busy attending his daughter Bella Raine’s birthday party. Bella just turns eight on August 17, and the Jeters as a family are planning a grander celebration. Waldman told WFAN, “It’s his daughter’s birthday, and maybe he doesn’t want to go home and have his daughter crying. I don’t know. I don’t think it has anything to do with the fact that he didn’t want to play a game. I don’t think that at all.”
However, not everyone has been so understanding. WFAN host Boomer Esiason just slapped the decision of Jeter not attending as him being “elitist” and “insulting.” He argued that the captain has always embraced the fans, and he should be there for the fans when they need him to. Jeter himself had said in the past that even if he showed up, he wouldn’t be able to take the field. In 2024, the game was not a part of the event, and he had told reporters, “They’re not going to see me hit again. No, I would be afraid I would hurt myself.”
So now, whether you side with Waldman or Esiason, the reality is that this year at Old Timers Day, fans have to celebrate the 2000 team without one of the biggest stars. Now, about the ones attending. However, Jeter did send a video message.
Full List of Yankees Legends Attending in 2025
Now sure, Jeter might be out of the picture, but the lineup is still jam-packed. Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and manager Joe Torre will be there. They will be alongside championship core pieces like Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Paul O’Neill, Bernie Williams, David Cone, Tino Martinez, and Orlando “El Duque” Hernández.
Fans will also see plenty of fresh faces in pinstripes for the first time at the event. Roger Clemens will be there, along with Alfonso Soriano and ALCS MVP David Justice. Also, Game 1 World Series hero José Vizcaíno will be there. They will make their debut at the event, and another notable person will be Clay Bellinger, who will be there with his son, MLB star Cody Bellinger. And it’s not just the 2000 squad that’s going to be there.
New York Yankees icons like Ron Guidry, Graig Nettles, Mickey Rivers, and Johnny Damon, who are from different eras, will be there. Also tributes will be paid to legends gone like
Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer, and Billy Martin through their widows being there.
How to Watch Yankees Old-Timers’ Day 2025?
If you can’t make it to Yankee Stadium, then YES Network thankfully has you covered. The coverage starts at 11:30 am with Michael Kay leading the player introductions. The Old Timers game will commence after that, and it will give fans a chance to see some of their most beloved stars in action before the team faces the Houston Astros later.
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