Access the Yankees beat like never before

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.

The road to redemption is a long one, but it began in The Bronx on Thursday for the Yankees in encouraging fashion.

Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe, two homegrown talents the Yankees hope to be cornerstones, both homered. Carlos Rodón, who needs to step up with injuries ravaging the rotation, did just that.

And a bullpen that has the chance to be the strength of the team delivered on that promise, even with a dicey top of the ninth.

All at least for one game.

The Yankees are 1-0 after a 4-2 win over the Brewers on Opening Day in front of a sellout crowd of 46,208 who spent most of the afternoon rocking before the tense final inning.

New closer Devin Williams, facing the team that traded him to the Yankees in December, loaded the bases with no outs.

Brice Turang hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2 before Williams struck out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich on full counts to end it.

“It wasn’t the easiest one, but it’s kind of fitting that we were playing them,” Williams said after his 36-pitch outing. “They really made me work for it today, but I’m glad I was able to get the job done.”

In their first action since a crushing Game 5 defeat to the Dodgers in the World Series, which was followed by an injury-riddled spring, the Yankees began the regular season on the right foot.

“I know we’ve been hit with quite a few injuries and a couple setbacks to start the year, but I’m excited about our young guys and what they’re going to do,” said Aaron Judge, who added an RBI double in the seventh inning that proved to be the difference. “Wells, Volpe, Jazz [Chisholm Jr.], [Jasson] Domínguez, all those guys are going to be a big part of our future and success this year. It’s cool to see those guys get off to a good start.”

Rodón, getting the Opening Day start with Gerrit Cole out for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, turned in a sharp outing.

The left-hander struck out seven across 5 ¹/₃ innings of one-run ball, getting the shorthanded rotation off to a strong start.

He got some help from the defense behind him, including a few slick plays from Chisholm at second base.

Wells was already making history Thursday by becoming the first Yankees catcher to bat leadoff.

Then he made some more, becoming the first catcher with a leadoff home run on Opening Day in MLB history when he drilled Freddy Peralta’s high fastball to the short porch in right field for a 1-0 lead.

“It was awesome,” Wells said. “It was a really cool experience for myself not doing it ever and it was cool to hear the fans and be the first batter of the season.”

An inning later, Volpe followed his close friend’s lead by also taking Peralta deep to right field to put the Yankees up 2-0.

Volpe hit the ball hard all spring without much to show for it, but got rewarded immediately on Thursday.

The only damage Rodón allowed came in the third inning, when Vinny Capra pounced on a high fastball and roped it into the left field seats to cut the Yankees’ lead to 2-1.

The Brewers then threatened in the sixth off Rodón, but Tim Hill came in and eventually left the bases loaded with the one-run lead intact.

Mark Leiter Jr. and Luke Weaver followed with scoreless frames while Judge and Cody Bellinger (on a sacrifice fly) added insurance runs to give Williams a bit more breathing room for his first save in pinstripes.

“It was a huge team win,” Wells said. “Facing good pitchers, we just kept going after them. Not only on the offensive side, but some great plays on defense and some great guys coming out of the bullpen and getting some really high-leverage spots. I think it was a huge team win all-around. It’s cool to see that on the first day.”