On the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the baseball world centered around The Bronx, where the Yankees hosted the Mets to open the Subway Series. 

Seven members of the 2001 Yankees team that had a memorable run to the World Series were on hand to join the ceremonies. 

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years,’’ Derek Jeter said. “It changed the world forever. 

Alongside fellow Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera, as well as Jorge Posada, Paul O’Neill, Tino Martinez and Scott Brosius, the Yankees commemorated the anniversary, as well as the aftermath of the attacks. 

With a chant of “U-S-A” breaking out following the national anthem, Aaron Boone called the night “huge.” 

“We understand the weight of today,’’ the Yankee manager said before the game. “The 25th anniversary, two New York teams playing. It feels like an honor to go out there. There’s gonna be a lot of different emotions out there. We don’t take it lightly.” 

Cody Bellinger likely has a stronger attachment to the anniversary than many of his contemporaries. 

With his father, Clay, on that 2001 Yankee team, Bellinger was 6 years old, living in Connecticut when the attacks occurred. 

Clay Bellinger was among the Yankees — and Mets — who visited Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attacks and went on to become a firefighter in Gilbert, Arizona, where he still works. 

Boone addressed the team about the importance of Friday’s ceremonies. 

“We talked about it today, that especially here, there will be a lot of people that have some connection to it,’’ Bellinger said. “It’s a special moment to be here for this. It’s one of those things that’s bigger than the game. We know it’s a pretty big game, but there will be more important things here tonight.’’ 

That included first pitches thrown out by Brielle Saracini and Sean McGuire. 

The married couple, who both lost a father on 9/11, met as children at Camp Better Days, which was established to provide support to those children. 

Saracini was greeted by Jeter, whom she met shortly after the tragedy after she sent a letter to the shortstop, detailing her family’s loss. 

Jeter invited Saracini to the Stadium later that month, and the two have maintained a bond for the past 25 years. 

“I remember just feeling normal for a day and just feeling like a kid,’’ Saracini said of the initial meeting. 

As players and coaches reflected on the role sports played in the nation’s recovery, Saracini agreed it was important. 

“I can’t imagine a scenario where they were not being played,’’ she said. “It meant so much to so many people and gave us something to cheer about. It’s definitely what the country needed and what the country united around.”