The calendar may read March, but Aaron Judge is already heating up like it’s the middle of a pennant race. On a surprisingly warm afternoon at Yankee Stadium—78 degrees on March 29—the Yankees’ captain gave fans plenty of reason to believe the chase for 63 home runs is on, and he didn’t waste any time getting started.
In just his second game of the 2025 season, Judge delivered one of the most dominant offensive performances of his career, blasting three home runs in his first three at-bats and driving in a career-high eight runs in a 20-9 demolition of the Milwaukee Brewers. It was a statement performance from the reigning AL MVP—one that not only electrified the Bronx but also reminded the baseball world who still reigns as the sport’s most dangerous right-handed slugger.
“Our story is not done yet,” Judge said after an RBI night. “I’ll keep adding to those lists.”
2025 explosive start shadows 2024 early struggles
A year ago, Judge stumbled out of the gate and was met with rare boos in April from Yankees fans. That slow start faded quickly, as he went on to hit .322/.458/.701 with 58 home runs in 2024—finishing with a historic 223 OPS+, the highest ever for a right-handed batter in a single season. He was ultimately a unanimous MVP selection.
This year, there’s no sluggish beginning.
Judge is off to a red-hot start, and the tone was set early on Saturday when he followed back-to-back homers from Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger with a towering 468-foot blast to left field off former Yankee Nestor Cortes. That shot, which left the bat at an estimated 115 mph, was a home run in all 30 Major League ballparks—and probably would have cleared the fence in Yosemite, too.
Bronx bombardment
That first-inning missile wasn’t even Judge’s most dramatic swing of the day.
In the third inning, he came up with the bases loaded and promptly launched a grand slam off Connor Thomas, a left-hander making his MLB debut. And just two innings later, he took Thomas deep again—this time a solo homer over the centerfield fence for his third of the day.
With MVP chants raining down and Yankees fans rising for multiple curtain calls, Judge stepped up once more in the sixth inning and just missed a fourth homer, hammering a double off the right-field wall. He had one last shot at tying the single-game home run record in the eighth, facing position player Jake Bauers, but lined out to left on a 55 mph curveball.
Still, Judge finished 4-for-6 with three home runs, a double, four runs scored, and eight RBIs, becoming the first Yankee to drive in that many runs in a game since Didi Gregorius in 2018.
“Seeing the Bleacher Creatures jumping up and down, you have to step out and catch your breath there for a second before you step in the box,” Judge said after the game. “It gets your heart rate going a little bit. It was definitely fun.”
Historic day for the Bombers
Judge’s heroics were part of a franchise-record nine home runs by the Yankees, who became just the third team in MLB history to hit nine homers in a single game. The onslaught was an early reminder that even without Juan Soto—who sat out the game with tightness—the Yankees’ lineup still possesses immense firepower.
For a team trying to retake the Championship after 15 years and eager for revenge on the Dodgers, this kind of offensive display bodes well, especially with the team facing injury challenges on the pitching side.
Aaron Judge’s chase for 63
Yes, it’s only March. But when Judge opens the season with this kind of firepower, it’s impossible not to ask: Is 63 home runs in reach?
After all, Judge already owns the American League record with 62 home runs, set in 2022. Last year, he came within striking distance of matching it despite going homerless for 16 straight games in August and September.
With a healthy start and no slow April slump to overcome, Judge might finally have the runway to chase his own record from ahead of the pace instead of behind it.
More than just power
Judge’s performance goes beyond the box score. He’s the heartbeat of the Yankees, their captain, and an embodiment of the franchise’s championship standard. While the sport buzzes around names like Shohei Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr., Judge once again reminded everyone that he remains at the pinnacle of the game.
“You see the work [Judge] puts in every single day in Spring Training and in the season, the type of teammate he is,” said Max Fried. “That’s why he can go out there and have that type of performance. Every single time he steps in the box, he’s a threat.”
Even as Witt Jr. and others draw early MVP hype, Judge’s unanimous MVP win in 2024—and now his explosive start in 2025—make him an early favorite to repeat. His continued ability to lift the Yankees offensively, particularly with key players out, will be crucial in a season where expectations are sky-high.
The Bronx believes in quest for 63
With 2025 underway, Yankees fans are once again dreaming big—and much of that hinges on their No. 99.
He’s the best in the game and the consistency and the way he handles himself, there’s just not enough positive things to say about him,” says Cody Bellinger on Aaron Judge.
Whether or not he reaches 63 home runs remains to be seen, but one thing is already certain: Aaron Judge is still at the peak of his powers, and he’s making that crystal clear from Day 1.
As the bleacher creatures chant “M-V-P!” and Yankee Stadium buzzes with early-season electricity, one can’t help but wonder—if this is how Judge starts, how far can he take the Yankees this year?
The answer, as always, may lie in the swing of his bat. But 63 is already on his target!
What do you think?
