GONECARLO!

STANTON SMASHES 2 HRS, DRIVES IN 4 AS YANKS ROUT JAYS

TORONTO — “Wow.” That was the assessment of Aaron Judge. “Impresionante.” Gary Sancchez offered that. Giancarlo Stanton had the kkind of Yankee debut you could sum up in many words or singular declarative ones in English or Spanish. Didi Greggorius was so flabbergasted that he actually went and watched both of Stanton’s hhomers on vvideo again. “I mean it is llike batting practpractice, easy swing and it just keeps going.” Gregorius said. When a group of Gregorius, Brett Gardner and Neil Walker were informed Stanton had set the exit-velocity record for an opposite-field homer (since Statcast began in 2015), they all but went in a chorus, “Which one?” Such was the magnitude of both homers. It was the first homer, which came on the second regular-season pitch Stanton ever saw as a Yankee and was hit so hard that Walker declared, “I thought it was going to go through the guy’s chest [who tried to catch it].” That was 117.3 mph. The second — to close the scoring in a 6-1 Yankee victory — was a mere 109.4 mph, but actually went 434 feet or 8 feet farther than the first. There was an RBI double mixed in (at 103.1 mph, for those keeping score at home) to mark this as one of the great debuts in Yankee history. Heck, just one of the great debuts period. This was “Meet The Beatles” — a first outing with hit after hit. An opener that also felt like a coming attraction of what might be possible for Stanton and this lineup. An initial step that emphatically and dramatically dismissed concerns about Stanton handling all that comes with being the latest in a long line that began with Babe Ruth — the great gargantuan slugger imported by the Yankees. “I’ve never seen a debut like that,” Dellin Betances said. “First game with the Yankees and for him to do what he did today was unbelievable. I know he’s gonna have fun with this team and enjoy the process here. I’ve never seen anything like that. Those balls were hit out in less than two seconds. The guy just has massive pop. It’s gonna be a fun, ex- citing year with the group of guys we have.”

Yes, you might want to remember the group here. That the Yankees last year — sans Stanton — produced the majors’ most homers and second-most runs. Together in the first game of 2018 this lineup generated 11 hits, seven for extra bases, and even a bunch of loud outs — six runs actually felt like the fewest possible for just how hard the Yanks hit the ball against Toronto pitching.

“I thought it was tough to go through their lineup before Stanton showed up,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

It’s tougher now. It’s also a reminder of just what the Yankees did in December. They acquired the NL MVP in his prime and the Marlins ate $30 million, took on the remainder of Starlin Castro’s contract and accepted two good — but not elite — prospects from the Yankees’ deep trove.

Still, Stanton was venturing into unknown terrain, loaded with the pressures associated with such a trade to the Yankees while possessing the largest contract ($325 million) in history. He came from a team that had never finished over .500 and was last in the NL in attendance in seven of his eight seasons.

The reality is that the opener Thursday might have been the biggest regular-season game Stanton had ever played — and he rose to meet the moment. He put the Yankees up 2-0 in the first, 3-0 in the fifth (Sanchez followed right after with his own RBI double) and 6-1 in the ninth with a homer that played like an encore to an already great concert. He demystified and depressurized what also was Aaron Boone’s debut, leaving little stress or strategy for the new manager.

Luis Severino pitched with terrific pace in 5 2/3 shutout innings and the Yankees played like a superior team dismantling an opponent for nine innings.

There will be, of course, huge challenges for Stanton and the Yankees in the next 161 games. Stanton still has his first game in The Bronx, his first game at Fenway and his first slump to navigate as a Yankee. But in a show that combined poise with power, Stanton delivered a debut both brutish and elegant.

“It was a nice way to start,” Cashman said.

It was impresionante.