NEW YORK — Aaron Judge added another milestone to his career on Sunday. The Yankees captain locked up his first batting title with a .331 average, finishing 20 points ahead of the next closest hitter.
Judge’s season ended with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs. At 6-foot-7, he became the tallest batting champion in Major League Baseball history. His crown came on the final day of the regular season, when the Yankees edged the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 at Yankee Stadium.
Making Yankees history
Judge is the first Yankee to capture a batting title in a full season since Bernie Williams in 1998. Williams hit .339 that year, which ended in a World Series championship. DJ LeMahieu won the crown during the shortened 2020 season.
“I already got a text from my guy DJ LeMahieu, which was pretty cool,” the Yankees captain said following Sunday’s victory.
After the game, manager Aaron Boone presented Judge with the game ball and praised the accomplishment. He mentioned Hall of Fame hitters Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew and Wade Boggs.
“Those are legends of the game who will be talked about forever,” Judge said. “Getting a chance to be with that group is something I don’t take lightly.”
Rare power and precision
Judge joined an exclusive club by hitting 50 or more home runs while winning a batting title. Only Mickey Mantle in 1956 and Jimmie Foxx in 1938 had achieved the same feat.
His 53 homers are the most ever by a batting champion. The mix of power and contact sets him apart from modern peers.
“Nothing Aaron Judge does surprises me,” Boone said. “I don’t put anything past 99. He’s playing like an all-time great.”
Judge led the majors in three key categories: batting average, on-base percentage (.457) and slugging percentage (.688). He became the first player since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 to top the league in all three.
His OPS finished at 1.145, well ahead of runner-up Shohei Ohtani. Judge also posted a 205 wRC+, reflecting his overall dominance at the plate.
| Category | Stats | MLB Rank | AL Rank |
| Batting Average | .331 | 1 | 1 |
| Home Runs | 53 | 4 | 2 |
| RBIs | 114 | 5 | 2 |
| Runs Scored | 137 | 2 | 1 |
| Hits | 179 | 4 | 3 |
| Doubles | 30 | 45 | 23 |
| Triples | 2 | 75 | 28 |
| On-Base Percentage | .457 | 1 | 1 |
| Slugging Percentage | .688 | 1 | 1 |
| OPS | 1.145 | 1 | 1 |
| wRC/wRC+ | 157/218 | – | – |
| Walks | 124 | 2 | 1 |
| Strikeouts | 160 | 29 | 12 |
| Stolen Bases | 12 | 90 | 42 |
| Games Played | 152 | 54 | 26 |
The big man matters
Judge’s height makes his batting title stand out even more. The previous record for tallest batting champion was 6-foot-5, shared by Dave Parker, Frank Thomas, Joe Mauer, John Olerud and Derrek Lee.
“The reality is, over time, you haven’t seen that many really tall people be great hitters,” Boone said. “There’s a great advantage if you can figure it out and become a good hitter because you have strength and leverage that smaller guys don’t. But it is a testament to how good he is at his craft.”
Judge faces more low strike calls than anyone in baseball because of his size. Still, he overcame that obstacle.
“The more impressive thing is to be as refined and as accomplished a hitter as he is at that size,” Boone added.
Aaron Judge’s strong finish
Judge’s batting crown came down to the final month. He hit .374 across his last 30 games, surging after returning from a flexor strain that cost him 10 games.
The rest of the field never came close. Oakland rookie Jacob Wilson finished at .311, tied with Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette.
Judge has long valued batting average, even as many modern players and analysts put less weight on the stat. He grew up watching Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera, who routinely hit above .300.
“Those guys always hit above .300,” Judge said. “The power just came with it. That’s always been a goal of mine, to hit above .300.”
He pointed to Sunday’s fourth inning as an example. Judge singled to lead off, later scoring the tying run on a Giancarlo Stanton hit.
“If I’m up there trying to do damage or do something else, I don’t start a little rally there and help the team,” Judge said. “So I just think trying to be a good hitter is infectious, it’s contagious. One hit leads to another and it equals more winning.”
Team Yankees success matters most
Even after securing his place in Yankees history, Judge turned the conversation toward team goals.
“I’m just trying to do my job, that’s what it comes down to,” Judge said. “It’s special, but more work to be done.”
The Yankees head into October as a Wild Card team against the Red Sox. Judge will aim to carry his production into the postseason, where he has struggled in the past. His career playoff batting average sits at .205, and over his last 31 postseason games he has hit just .160 with a .648 OPS.
The Yankees lost to the Dodgers in the World Series last year, a memory Judge wants to erase with a stronger showing this October.
MVP consideration
Judge’s numbers once again place him in the center of the MVP race. He has already won the award in 2022 and 2024. Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh is viewed as his toughest competition after a record-setting season of his own.
“I know it’s meaningful to him,” Boone said of Judge’s batting title.
Teammate Jazz Chisholm Jr. praised his consistency.
“It’s unbelievable how consistent he is,” Chisholm said. “Guys are throwing 100 every day. It’s hard. It’s really hard. And to do it the way he does it, it’s not a soft .300, either. We always say guys hit a soft .300. He’s hitting an immaculate .300.”
The MVP award will be announced in November. For now, Judge joins an exclusive list of Yankees batting champions that includes Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mantle, Williams and LeMahieu.
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