For years, we’ve talked about bringing a group of RAB readers to the Bronx for a Yankee game, and thanks to a new platform the team has made available this year, we’re finally able to do it. So allow me to proudly present River Ave. Blues Day at Yankee Stadium. Join us at the big ballpark in the Bronx on Saturday, May 12, at 1:05 p.m. when the A’s are in town for a three-game set.

Here’s the story: We have access to a few different blocks of tickets and some “Masterpass” extras that include a few hours of food and drink at the Batter’s Eye Deck. The event features tickets at various price points — ranging from $30 for seats in 332A to $97 for seats in Section 133 which include the Masterpass option. Everything you need to know is on the ticket purchase page.

As an added incentive, you can invite friends with a referral link, and the Yanks’ system will place you in seats together (so long as you and your friends buy tickets at the same price point). Additionally, the person who invites the most friends (at least 10) will get four tickets to another non-premium game during the 2018 season.

To be upfront about this, we at RAB are not making any money of this. It’s opportunity for us to meet some fans and readers and hang out before catching a Yankee game. If it’s a success, we’ll do it again later this season. If not, well, then we’ve all sat through a Yanks/A’s game many of us were going to attend anyway. It’s a win-win. But do join us at the stadium. We’ll be in the Masterpass Batter’s Eye area from 11 a.m. onward, and we’ll all catch the Yanks in the Bronx together, a day 12 season in the making. [RAB Day Tickets]

Giancarlo Stanton is already making noise in New York. The slugger, who joined the Yankees from Miami during the off-season, homered twice on Opening Day in his pinstripe debut, when the Yanks dumped the Blue Jays at Toronto Thursday. New York, of course, is hoping the debut is a sign of things to come. 

Stanton’s move to New York is definitely generating interest in the team. After completing a four-game road trip in Toronto, the Yankees will open at home on Monday, and prices for New York’s home opener and the season reflect the enthusiasm building around the rebuilt Yankees. 

According to data from secondary market vendor TicketIQ, this year’s home opener against Tampa Bay will be the most expensive of the decade and a 24 percent increase over the cost of an OD ticket on the secondary market last year. The current average asking price for Opening Day tickets at Yankee Stadium is $374. The only other time New York broke the $300 barrier on OD was last season, when tickets cost $301. The third most expensive ticket on the secondary market was the 2010 home opener, which settled at $258. The Yankees won their most recent World Series in 2009. The cheapest home opener ticket of the decade was $167 in 2016.

Second-year pro Jordan Montgomery, a lefty who led all rookies in starts (29), strikeouts (144) and innings pitched (155 1/3) in 2017, is scheduled to start against the Rays. 

Asking prices for tickets for the regular season on the secondary market are also the most expensive at the decade. TicketIQ data shows the current asking price is $123, nearly 8 percent higher than last year’s $114, which is the second highest of the decade. Single-game regular-season ticket prices have only passed the $100 barrier twice before — in 2015  ($103) and 2014 ($108), though they were $99 on the secondary market in 2010. The least expensive regular-season ticket average on the secondary market since 2010 was $71 in 2012. 

By way of comparison, the average asking price on the secondary market for Yankees tickets is $23 higher than that of the crosstown Mets ($100) and OD Mets tickets are currently sitting at $229. 

The Yankees advanced to the ALCS last year as a wild-card after finishing second in the AL East. It was the first time 2012 that New York got to the Championship Series and only the second time in the last five seasons that it advanced to the postseason. 

New York, which has won a total of 27 pennants, debuts a rookie manage this season in former player Aaron Boone, who will manage a star-studded roster. Boone, who has no previous managerial experience, was an All-Star in 2003, when he played for the Yankees on their run to the World Series, where they lost to Miami.

Besides acquiring Stanton, the Yankees return slugger Aaron Judge, who set a rookie record with 52 home runs in 2017. On the mound, Luis Severino had a breakout season last year, finishing third in Cy Young voting and Chad Green emerged as a dominant reliever. 

After one year of surprising success that felt like house money, expectations for 2018 New York Yankees season are as high as ever, and prices have followed suit. Since the team acquired Giancarlo Stanton, the asking price for tickets for Opening Day have risen 14 percent, according to TicketIQ.com and the overall average asking price for a ticket to Yankee Stadium is $135, which the highest it’s been since 2010, when TicketIQ.com started tracking data, and one year after the Yankees moved into the new Yankee Stadium.

While Stanton has been the biggest driver of demand, fans are also excited to see Aaron Boone in pinstripes for the first time since he batted .143 and struck out six times in the Yankees’ 2003 World Series loss to the Marlins. Most fans will choose to remember the walk-off, pennant-winning home run he blasted off Tim Wakefield to end the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox.

While the Yankees are favorites to get back to the Fall Classic, the Marlins most certainly are not. For fans looking to expunge the memories of that 2003 series, the Stanton-less Marlins come to Yankee Stadium on April 16th and 17th. Barring a disastrous first two weeks, former Yankee captains will be both the owner and manager. While Don Mattingly has returned as a manager once before with the Dodgers, the big question will be whether Derek Jeter is there. If he is, fans will be able to give him a proper thank-you, for as little as $15 as of today. If it is confirmed, $25 might be the cheapest ticket at first-pitch.

If that’s not enough to get you to chilly early-season game, below is a look at the most expensive games for each month for the 2018 season from TicketIQ.

April: Tampa Bay at Yankees, April 2 – With a projected opening day lineup that could feature Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, and Stanton, the toughest 2-4 hitters in the game, it’s not surprising that Opening Day is the most expensive this decade.

Average asking price: $315; Cheapest ticket: $106

May: Boston Red Sox at Yankees, May 10 –  Despite winning the AL East last year, the Red Sox will likely come in as underdogs to face reloaded Bombers. While average price for Yankees-Red Sox tickets has decreased by over 25% in the last 5 years, perhaps having Boone as manager will rekindle some of the tension that has been out of rivalry since the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino the year after his historic home run.

Average asking price: $234; Cheapest ticket: $55

June: Boston at Yankees, June 30 – With summer out, demand to see the Red Sox visit the Bronx is up 25% from the early May series when many schools are still not out. For Yankees fans in Boston, if you missed the early season games at Fenway park, the cheapest tickets for the Yankees-Red Sox Series in August is around $100.

Average asking price: $294; Cheapest ticket: $71

July: New York Mets at Yankees, July 20 –  A healthy Yoenis Cespedes to complement Stanton and Judge gives the game ample opportunity for 500 footers. If the Mets can rebound from their disastrous season last year, prices and demand for this three-game weekend series may not reach 2001-levels, but they’re not likely to drop much.

Average asking price: $278; Cheapest ticket: $59

August: Texas Rangers at Yankees, Aug. 11 – Dog days of summer descend in August with a lackluster home schedule against the Blue Jays, Rangers, Rays, White Sox and Tigers. The month begins with with the final game of a series with the Orioles.  While tickets for that Wednesday nighter can be had for less than $30 today, if the O’s are out of it, and Manny Machado trade rumors are swirling, prices could climb.

Average asking price: $233; Cheapest ticket: $29

September: Detroit Tigers at Yankees, Sept. 2 – This day game on the Sunday before Labor Day is a big draw for fans looking to celebrate their weekend with a trip no farther than the Bronx. Without Justin Verlander, the Tigers are not likely to improve on their 5th place finish from last season and the most interesting thing about this series may be whether current-Tigers ace Michael Fulmer will be in pinstripes by then.

Average asking price: $237,  Cheapest ticket: $30

Visit the TicketIQ Blog for more detailed analysis of trends for Yankees and other New-York teams.

The New York Yankees will host the defending American League champion Cleveland Indians for Games 3 and 4 of the American League Division Series. This marks the first time that these two teams will match up in the postseason since 2007, but this will be the first time that Cleveland’s team plays a playoff game in the new incarnation of Yankee Stadium. New York will look to rebound from its regular season struggles against Terry Francona’s squad.

The two ALDS home games for the Yankees have an average secondary market asking price of $348 on TicketIQ.com. The intrigue of these two high-power teams playing in the Big Apple allows for this price to be the highest price of any Yankee Stadium ALDS ticket since 2010. Only the Cubs and Nationals have a higher divisional series average price at $402 for the contests at Wrigley Field.

Even with this being such an exciting series, the get-in price is just $74 on TicketIQ.com. Although that price is increased from other recent ALDS games at the new Yankee Stadium, the price is very similar to the get-in price as the New York Giants’ contest against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

The 27-time World Series champions reached the ALDS by defeating the visiting Minnesota Twins, 8-4, behind three home runs on Tuesday. Aaron Judge, the potential American League MVP and Rookie of the Year, was one of the three Yankees to homer in the wild card game victory. While New York aims to remain hot at the plate, the rested Indians will look to continue to stifle the Yankees’ bats.

Be sure to get your New York Yankees tickets today at TicketIQ.com.

A new season is approaching, and new ticket deals exist at Yankee Stadium in 2017.

Yankees tickets officially went on sale to the general public on Monday morning, giving fans first dibs at all 81 home games in the Bronx this year. The team has introduced two new ticketing plans for the 2017 season in the Pinstripe Pass and Grandstand seating options, designed to offer more affordable pricing (and perks) throughout the stadium this year.

The $15 Pinstripe Pass is available for all Yankees home games and is a general admission, standing-room-only ticket. The pass includes the choice of a 12 oz. domestic beer for fans that are 21 or older with a valid ID, a Pepsi product or a bottle of Poland Spring water. Fans who purchase a Pinstripe Pass can view the game from any non-assigned standing room area of Yankee Stadium. These locations include the newly-opened Masterpass Batter’s Eye Decks, AT&T Sports Lounge in left field and the SunRun Kids Clubhouse.

For those looking to save even more, the cheaper of the new plans is the Grandstand level option. The Yankees will offer $10 tickets in select Grandstand (400 level) locations for every home game this season. Quantity will vary by game, however, so plan accordingly for premium matchups.

The Pinstripe Pass and Grandstand seating options join the growing list of Yankees ticket options for 2017. The Mastercard $5 game returns this season, giving fans the opportunity to purchase tickets in the Terrace, Grandstand or Bleachers when using their Mastercard at checkout. Mastercard will also sponsor several half-price games throughout the season. Fans using this option can purchase tickets for 50 percent off the advance ticket price using their Mastercard.

A slew of other ticket deals also exist through Ticketmaster. E-Saver, Military Personnel, Senior Citizen, Student and Youth game options are available at select games throughout the season. Weekly email ticket offers will be given to Yankees email subscribers through the E-Saver option. Active military members can present their military identification to receive one grandstand or bleacher-level seats to any Monday-Thursday home game.

Citizens 60 or older may receive discounted tickets at all home games while high school or college students can purchase half-price tickets at Wednesday home games. Fans 14 and under can take advantage of half-price tickets when accompanied by an adult at Saturday, Sunday and select weekday 1:05 p.m. home games.

The Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays in their home opener on April 10. They’ll face the Toronto Blue Jays in their final regular season matchup at Yankee Stadium on October 1.

Don’t let computers do the talking – the Yankees are still very much in the playoff hunt.

Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Rays was accompanied by Orioles and Red Sox wins, keeping the Bombers in neutral at two games behind the Blue Jays for the second wild-card spot and four games back from the division-leading Red Sox. By Sunday night the Yankees’ chances of making the playoffs dropped to 14.3 percent on FanGraphs.com, down from 18.2 percent prior to the series finale with the Rays.

Still, even with the notable percentage drop, there’s reason to believe this team will be sporting an x in the standings by the regular season’s end. The schedule is tough – the Dodgers, Red Sox, Jays and Orioles are all ahead – but that also means that considerable ground can be made with a good showing from here on out.

With playoff-bound team come marquee names, but Yankees tickets at Yankee Stadium won’t burn a hole in the wallet through the end of the year. The Dodgers, Red Sox and Orioles will each bring notable storylines with them to the Bronx over the next three weeks, from Clayton Kershaw’s second start back from the DL to Big Papi’s last games on 161st Street, and fans can find tickets for relatively cheap on the primary market.

The Dodgers are in town for a three-game series between Monday and Wednesday. While Kershaw is expected to pitch the finale on Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers will also showcase young talent Julio Urias on Tuesday, providing plenty of incentive to hit the ballpark this week. Tickets in the outfield bleachers and upper level seating start from just $21 each across the three-game affair. Knit cap and Yankees t-shirt giveaways are also on tap for the first 18,000 fans in attendance for Tuesday and Wednesday’s game, respectively.

An 11-game road trip follows the Dodgers series, bringing the Yankees to Boston, Tampa and Toronto between September 15-26. They’ll then return home for two final series against the Red Sox and Orioles, and tickets remain relatively inexpensive across those six games.

The Red Sox head to Yankee Stadium for what may be the final time this season between September 27-29. David Ortiz’s last games aren’t dictating much of a price premium for tickets, however, as tickets also start from $21 in the outfield bleachers and 400-level sections. It’ll cost a little extra to give Papi a proper New York farewell from field level on the 29th, however, as tickets are priced for as low as $77 each in the 100-level sections.

The cheapest remaining tickets at Yankee Stadium can be found during the Orioles series from September 30-October 2. In what could potentially serve as de facto games for both teams and their postseason hopes, tickets start from just $17 each on Ticketmaster over the three-game series. Roger Maris bobblehead day is scheduled for October 1, with the first 18,000 fans receiving the special figurine upon entering Yankee Stadium.

Friday marks the end of Alex Rodriguez’s career in pinstripes, and while the nation draws its attention to Yankee Stadium as the beleaguered star takes his last licks, there’s still a chance to witness the festivities live.

A mad dash to the box office ensued after the 41-year-old’s press conference Sunday morning, and by Monday afternoon only a few dozen seats were still available on Ticketmaster. However, those that slept on purchasing can still find Yankees tickets for A-Rod’s last game. Don’t expect them to be there much longer, though.

As it stands now the cheapest available tickets to Friday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays are $95 each in Section 105 next to the Yankees bullpen. It is the only section currently offering ticket prices below $100. In Section 114, which is located on the first base side, tickets are currently listed from $150 each. Several other seats are available starting from $175 each in Section 128 headed out towards left field.

Prepare for prices to spike if looking elsewhere in the stadium. Tickets are still available in the 100 section behind home plate but will cost upwards of $275 each. The most expensive available tickets are going for $500 each in wheelchair-accessible seats in Section 122A.

Whether watching from right field or the comfort of the living room couch, Friday night will mark the end of an era in the Bronx. A-Rod’s tumultuous 12-year run as a member of the Yankees was a polarizing one; two MVP Awards and a World Series title were overshadowed by his illicit use of performance-enhancing drugs, which he initially claimed to have used solely during his brief career in Texas. That would later prove to be false, as the slugger would also admit to using PEDs from late 2010 to October 2012.

Still, weighed down with the fact that he will never enter the Hall of Fame with pure intentions, A-Rod’s many accomplishments both off and on the field cannot be overlooked. He was a poster child for the game for nearly two decades, and though his play was virtually non-existent over the last four weeks, there’s no doubt that Yankee Stadium will be packed to the brim to see his final at-bats Friday night.

And who knows, maybe this isn’t the end for the aging slugger. The thought of playing again hasn’t been ruled out, so perhaps he’ll be back in the opposing dugout wearing road greys next season. And wouldn’t that be something.