NEW YORK — Aaron Judge made Yankees history Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. His first-inning blast against Detroit Tigers starter Casey Mize traveled 412 feet to right-center field, breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the club’s all-time home run list.
The homer, Judge’s 44th of the year, came on a full-count splitter from Mize. It left the bat at 110.6 mph and gave New York an early 1-0 lead. It also rewrote a piece of Yankees history that had stood for nearly seven decades.
History rewritten after 68 years
Since 1957, the same five names had held the top tier of Yankees’ career home run leaders: Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Yogi Berra. The order had been unchanged since Mantle surpassed Gehrig in 1966. On Tuesday night, Judge officially replaced Berra in that group.
Judge had tied Berra’s 358 career home runs on Aug. 31 in Chicago, when he homered off Martin Perez in a 3-2 loss to the White Sox. The blast against Detroit pushed him ahead of the legendary catcher who wore number 8 in pinstripes.
“Passing Yogi, it’s pretty special,” Judge said following the Yankees’ 12-2 loss to the Tigers. “All-time great Yankee, what he meant to this organization. Even when he was done playing, being around, the stories we heard. He’s the definition of a true Yankee. So anytime you’re on a list with a guy like that, it’s pretty remarkable.”
Yankees all-time home run leaders
| Rank | Player | Home Runs |
| 1 | Babe Ruth | 659 |
| 2 | Mickey Mantle | 536 |
| 3 | Lou Gehrig | 493 |
| 4 | Joe DiMaggio | 361 |
| 5 | Aaron Judge | 359 |
| 6 | Yogi Berra | 358 |
| 7 | Alex Rodriguez | 351 |
| 8 | Bernie Williams | 287 |
| 9 | Jorge Posada | 275 |
| 10 | Derek Jeter | 260 |
DiMaggio next in Judge’s crosshairs
With 359 career home runs, Judge is closing in on Joe DiMaggio’s 361. He could surpass DiMaggio before the season ends. Beyond that, Judge would need 134 more homers to catch Gehrig for third place.
Danny Mantle, son of Mickey Mantle, has been vocal about his admiration for Judge.
“Judge is my favorite player,” Mantle said. “The guy is incredible, and there’s no telling what he may do on any given night. It’s just a privilege to be able to watch him. I’ve said this several times: I wish my dad was here, because he would love this type of player.”
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the milestone as well.
“I actually looked at it on the board, when they slid his name up ahead of Yogi, and Joe DiMaggio is next,” Boone said. “What Aaron’s done in this league and the seasons he’s had, he’s been in some rarified air, obviously. There’s been these impressive lists or names that he’s up next to, but when you see a career list like that with this organization and where he is now in the center of it — it’s pretty awesome.”
MVP race heating up
Aaron Judge’s season remains among the best in baseball. His 44 homers keep him in the American League MVP race, though this year he faces stiff competition. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has rewritten history of his own, becoming the first primary catcher in MLB history to surpass 50 home runs in a season. Raleigh currently leads the majors with 53 long balls.
Judge holds the AL lead with a .321 batting average and continues to pace the league in on-base percentage (.443), slugging (.656), and OPS (1.099). Those numbers place him firmly in contention for what would be his third career MVP award.
Rare three-MVP club within reach
If Judge secures the 2025 MVP, he would join an exclusive Yankees group. Only four players in team history have won at least three MVP awards in pinstripes: Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Alex Rodriguez (though one of Rodriguez’s came with Texas).
Raleigh’s 53-homer season makes that chase uncertain. His 49th homer set a new record for catchers, surpassing Salvador Perez’s 48 in 2021. Each additional blast pushes the bar higher and threatens Judge’s bid for a third MVP.
Judge’s home run progression by year
| Year | Home Runs | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 | MLB debut in August |
| 2017 | 52 | AL Rookie of the Year |
| 2018 | 27 | Season limited by injuries |
| 2019 | 27 | Missed significant time again |
| 2020 | 9 | COVID-shortened year |
| 2021 | 39 | Return to form |
| 2022 | 62 | AL single-season record, MVP |
| 2023 | 37 | Missed 51 games with injury |
| 2024 | 58 | Led MLB, second MVP |
| 2025 | 44* | Through September 9 |
Captain’s appreciation for Yankees legacy
Judge has often spoken about what it means to be part of Yankees history. During his chase of Roger Maris’ AL home run record three years ago, he made clear how much the organization’s legacy mattered in his decision to stay with New York.
After matching Berra last week in Chicago, Judge called him “one of the greatest” Yankees. “The way Yogi played the game, what he meant to the pinstripes,” Judge said. “You know how much it meant, being a New York Yankee, to him. I feel the same way. I’m honored to wear this jersey. So it’s pretty cool to be on that list.”
Elbow concerns linger
Judge’s season has not been without setbacks. An elbow injury forced him to the injured list earlier this summer, and he only returned on Aug. 5 as a designated hitter. Since then, he has batted just .243/.422/.456, showing he has yet to fully regain his pre-injury form.
Still, recent results hint at progress. Over his last 11 games entering Tuesday, Judge had hit .316/.500/.579 with three home runs since August 27.
Yogi Berra still overshadows Aaron Judge
While Judge has climbed into the Yankees’ all-time power ranks, Berra’s legacy remains unmatched. Derek Jeter once said in 2003, “Do you know how many rings I need to get to what Yogi Berra has? You can only think about 10 when you get to nine.”
Berra’s 10 World Series championships set a standard no Yankee since has touched. For Judge, personal milestones carry weight, but the pursuit of his first championship remains the ultimate goal.
It is easy to imagine how Berra might have reacted to Judge’s achievement. When Johnny Bench broke his record for home runs by a catcher in 1980, Berra sent a telegram that read: “I always thought the record would stand until it was broken.”
Judge has already carved his place in Yankees lore. Now he continues to chase not just home run records, but the elusive championship that defines greatness in the Bronx.
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