Tulo: Spring homer vs. Blue Jays was 'extra special'

Troy Tulowitzki had something to prove against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.

In his first at-bat with the New York Yankees, the veteran shortstop hit an opposite-field home run off ex-teammate Marcus Stroman in the first inning. As he rounded the bases, the 34-year-old was fired up.

"It was the biggest spring-training homer I've ever hit in my life," he said after the game, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Tulowitzki felt motivated to do well against his former club.

"No doubt about it. Extra special. That was the team that basically told me I couldn't play anymore," Tulowitzki said to reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. "It's spring training, it is what it is, but it was a big day for myself."

After Tulowitzki missed the end of the 2017 season with ankle injuries and all of the 2018 campaign while recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs in his heels, the Blue Jays released him in December, absorbing the $38 million remaining on his contract in the process.

New York signed the five-time All-Star for the major-league minimum in January.