Aaron Judge enters 5-slugger elite club after 50-HR feat, on pace for 63 HRs

Aaron Judge continues to solidify his place in baseball history, reaching yet another career milestone with remarkable consistency. After a quieter outing on Saturday, where he went 0-for-2 with a walk and was hit by a pitch, ending his four-game home run streak, Aaron Judge responded with a powerful show on Sunday.

The Yankees captain belted his 50th and 51st home runs of the season, leading New York to a 10-3 triumph over the Rockies. In the first inning of the game, Aaron Judge smashed his 50th home run of the season, maintaining his extraordinary pace. The milestone home run came off an 0-2 changeup from Rockies left-hander Austin Gomber, sending the ball 431 feet into left-center field and giving the Yankees an early 2-1 lead at home.

This milestone marks the third time Aaron Judge has reached the 50-homer mark in his career and the second time in the last three seasons. The fireworks didn’t stop there. In the seventh inning, the Yankees electrified the crowd by hitting three consecutive home runs off Jeff Criswell. Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton went deep in succession, with his second homer of the day igniting chants of “M-V-P!” from the stands. The ovation was so intense that the Yankees captain had to be coaxed out of the dugout for a curtain call.

Aaron Judge not only added another chapter to his storied career on Sunday at Yankee Stadium but also showcased his standing as one of the game’s elite sluggers.

This achievement places Aaron Judge among an elite group of players. Before him, only four major leaguers had hit 50 or more home runs in three separate seasons: Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, and Alex Rodriguez. Aaron Judge now joins this exclusive club, having previously reached the mark in 2017, 2022, and now again in 2024.

His recent form has been nothing short of extraordinary. Aaron Judge has homered in six of his last six games, eight in his previous ten, and nine in his last thirteen games. This consistent display of power suggests that the Yankees captain might have even bigger goals in mind as the season progresses.

Aaron Judge on pace to hit 63 home runs in 2024

With the Yankees having played 131 games and the slugger is hitting one home run every nine at-bats on average, he is on track to beat his 2022 record of 62 home runs this season.

As he continues to close in on his own American League record of 62 home runs—set in 2022 when he surpassed Roger Maris’ long-standing record—Aaron Judge’s teammates are taking note. Juan Soto even suggested that the slugger might have a shot at Barry Bonds’ single-season record of 73 home runs.

Despite the mounting attention to his personal achievements, Aaron Judge remains grounded, focusing on team success above all. He emphasized his goal of being a consistent hitter and a reliable teammate, confident that if he sticks to this approach, the numbers will follow naturally by season’s end.

“I got to this point trying to be a good hitter and a good teammate, so that’s what I’m going to try to do,” he said. “I feel like if I can do that, we can look up at the end of the year, and I think the numbers will be where they’re supposed to be.”

While some, including Mark McGwire, have speculated about Aaron Judge’s potential to challenge Bonds’ record, the slugger himself is more concerned with the Yankees’ larger mission. His comments underscore a commitment to team goals, even as he continues to etch his name in the history books with every swing.

Aaron Judge remains laser-focused on securing a World Series title, with his stellar performance driving the Yankees closer to that ambition. This season has already seen him break records, notably becoming the fastest player in Major League history to hit 300 career home runs, both in terms of at-bats and games played.

Aaron Judge’s teammates are effusive in their praise. Giancarlo Stanton likened Judge’s dominance on the field to playing a video game, marveling at how effortlessly Judge seems to excel. He emphasized that Judge’s exceptional performance not only inspires but also energizes the entire team, expressing his gratitude for having such a remarkable teammate.

“It’s unreal,” said Stanton. “He does something special every day. You almost take for granted how good he’s been, and what a staple he’s been for our offense and our team in general.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone echoed this sentiment, noting that Aaron Judge’s impact is a frequent topic of conversation around the league. The skipper shared that during road trips, opposing players and coaches often ask what it’s like to watch his captain in action day in and day out. Boone joked that he might need a thesaurus to find new words to describe Aaron Judge’s extraordinary achievements, underscoring how exceptional the slugger has been.

“Honestly, I’m just running out of words, what he’s doing,” Boone said. “We’re getting on the train [to Washington]. I’ve got to get the thesaurus out and get to work, because it is amazing.”

Aaron Judge’s season has been a tale of resilience. After a sluggish start that saw his batting average dip to .197 by May 2, Judge remained confident in his ability to turn things around. His self-assurance paid off in spades as he bounced back in May, hitting .361 with a 1.397 OPS and belting 14 home runs. He carried that momentum into June, improving even further with a .409 average, a 1.378 OPS, and 11 more homers.

Juan Soto highlighted Aaron Judge’s ability to overcome his early struggles, noting that those who knew Judge were never worried. Soto marveled at his ability to hit home runs with such consistency, admitting he had never seen anything like it.

“Everybody was worrying about him at the beginning,” he said. “I didn’t worry about him one bit. We know how great he is. It’s crazy to see a guy hit a homer day after day. I think I’ve never seen someone hit so many homers so consistently.”

Aaron Judge has maintained remarkable consistency throughout the season, with his stats reflecting only slight fluctuations. Although his numbers dipped slightly in July, with a .318 batting average, 1.106 OPS, and eight home runs, Judge has stepped up his game in August.

Aaron Judge’s accomplishments have placed him among the legends in Yankees history. He now owns three of the eleven 50-plus home run seasons in the franchise’s storied past, joining the ranks of Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, and Alex Rodriguez. Ruth achieved this milestone four times, including his iconic 60-homer season in 1927, which remained a Major League record until Maris broke it with 61 homers in 1961.

Despite his monumental success, Aaron Judge remains grounded, adhering to a philosophy of constant improvement. He reportedly won’t be satisfied until he achieves a perfect 1.000 batting average, a mindset that fuels his relentless pursuit of excellence.

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