DHJ Quick Take: The First Pitch Tradition
- Passing the Torch: Azzi Fudd follows the footsteps of Paige Bueckers, who threw the ceremonial first pitch at Globe Life Field on June 18, 2025. While Bueckers‘ toss famously fell short of the plate, the appearance solidified the Wings‘ presence in the Arlington sports community during her Rookie of the Year campaign.
- The “Parking Lot” Practice: This is Fudd’s second MLB mound appearance in less than a year. Before her July 21, 2025, pitch at Nationals Park, Fudd admitted on her podcast, “Fudd Around and Find Out,” that she had never thrown a baseball. Her father took her to a Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot the night before to practice.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Dallas Wings rookie guard Azzi Fudd will throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Tuesday night’s matchup between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees at Globe Life Field.
The appearance is part of Dallas Wings Night, a Rangers crossover promotion that doubles as an early Dallas-Fort Worth introduction for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, less than two weeks after she was selected by the Wings. Fudd will take the mound before the scheduled 7:05 p.m. CT first pitch, with the Rangers hosting the Yankees in the second game of a three-game series.
Azzi Fudd Follows Up Paige Bueckers’ First Pitch
Fudd is the second straight Wings No. 1 overall pick to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at Globe Life Field. Paige Bueckers did the same on June 18, 2025, before a Rangers-Royals game, with her Wings teammates standing behind her on the field. Her toss landed just shy of the plate.
Fudd, 23, was selected first overall on April 13 after a graduate season at UConn in which she started all 39 games and averaged career highs of 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. She shot 44.7% from beyond the arc on 6.7 attempts per game and led Division I with 117 made 3-pointers, finishing fifth nationally in 3-point percentage.
Her arrival in Dallas reunites her with Bueckers, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft and her UConn teammate on the program’s 2025 national championship run. Fudd also joins four-time All-Star guard Arike Ogunbowale, along with veteran offseason additions like WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard.
Azzi Fudd Has Thrown a First Pitch Before
Tuesday’s appearance will be Fudd’s second MLB ceremonial first pitch in less than a year. An Arlington, Virginia native, she threw out the first pitch at Nationals Park on July 21, 2025, before a Nationals-Reds game, wearing a custom Washington jersey with her name and number on the back.
The pre-game appearance also included a reunion with Nationals outfielder James Wood, a high school classmate of Fudd’s at St. John’s College High School in Washington, D.C. before he transferred to IMG Academy. The two attended prom together in 2021, and both families were present for the pregame greeting.
Fudd later acknowledged on her podcast “Fudd Around and Find Out” that her Nationals Park throw hit the ground before reaching the catcher. She had never thrown a baseball before, and her father took her to a Dick’s Sporting Goods parking lot the night before to practice.
Up Next
Fudd will play her first preseason game in a Wings uniform on April 30 against the Indiana Fever at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Her first game in the state of Texas since being drafted will be on May 3 against the Las Vegas Aces at Moody Center in Austin.
More Azzi Fudd & Wings Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Wings 2026 Media Day: Full Recordings Of Every Interview
- Paige Bueckers On Dallas Wings’ New Offensive System: ‘Never A Stagnant Moment’
- ‘It’s About Want To’: Paige Bueckers’ Vocal Leadership Is Setting The Dallas Wings’ Training Camp Tone
- ‘A Dream Come True’: Paige Bueckers, Azzi Fudd Realize Decade-Long Journey To Dallas Wings Backcourt
- ‘She’s Going To Be Special’: Inside Azzi Fudd’s Early Impression At Dallas Wings Training Camp
