BALTIMORE — The sound of the bat rang through Camden Yards twice on Saturday night, and both times it left a mark in the record books. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton went deep in the same game for the 57th time as teammates, lifting the New York Yankees to a 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
The achievement moved them past the Yankees pairing of Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle for second place in franchise history. Stanton started the fireworks with a three-run homer in the first inning. Judge followed with a solo blast in the third. With the victory, New York improved to 50-7 in games where both sluggers homer.
“It’s cool to see the names I’m catching and tying and going above,” Stanton said. “Most important, it helped us win.”
Chasing the immortal Ruth-Gehrig combination
Only one Yankees duo remains ahead of them. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig hit home runs in the same game 75 times between 1923 and 1934. Their first came on Sept. 10, 1925, against the Philadelphia Athletics. Their last came June 3, 1934, also against the A’s. The Yankees went 64-11 in those 75 games.
Judge and Stanton just surpassed Berra and Mantle, who shared 56 such games between 1951 and 1963. Mantle’s first career home run on May 1, 1951, doubled as their debut pairing. Their final came Sept. 21, 1963, when Berra hit the 358th and final homer of his career. New York went 46-10 in those contests.
A modern power partnership
Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have been Yankees teammates since the start of the 2018 season. They first homered in the same game on April 4 of that year. Since then, they have repeated the feat six times in postseason play, second only to George Springer and Carlos Correa, who did it eight times with Houston.
The numbers are lopsided when both connect. The Yankees are 50-7 overall when Judge and Stanton homer together, with six playoff wins included.
“It’s just a really cool day for him, and for us as his teammates,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He just carries so much respect from all of us, who he is, the way he goes about things in his unique way.”
MLB’s all-time leaders
While the Yankees duo climbs their own franchise ladder, they still trail the major league leaders. Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron of the Braves sit atop the all-time list with 76 games.
Mathews and Aaron were teammates from 1954 through 1966. They first went deep together on April 25, 1954, when Aaron hit the second homer of his career. Their final came on Aug. 31, 1965. Atlanta went 65-11 when both homered.
Judge, now 33, already owns MVP awards from 2022 and 2024. Stanton, 35, remains dangerous despite missing time with injuries. The chance to climb closer to Aaron and Mathews remains alive as long as the two stay healthy.
A winning formula for Yankees
Saturday’s contest showed how much their power shapes outcomes. With two outs in the first inning, Stanton drilled an opposite-field homer to right off Orioles starter Tomoyuki Sugano. The three-run shot gave New York a quick 3-0 lead.
Aaron Judge answered in the third with a towering drive to left for his 49th home run of the season. That solo blast pushed the Yankees’ advantage to 4-0.
Over seven seasons together, the duo has defined Yankees muscle. When their names appear back-to-back on the lineup card, opposing pitchers know the threat.
Can they break Ruth-Gehrig legend?
Now the question turns to whether Judge and Stanton can chase down Ruth and Gehrig. With 57 combined homer games, they trail the legendary pair by 18. On paper, it looks possible. But the challenge is steep.
Since 2018, Judge and Stanton have averaged about eight such games per season. At that rate, it would take two more years to match Ruth and Gehrig. Judge’s nine-year deal keeps him in pinstripes through 2031, and at age 33, he continues to deliver MVP-level results.
Stanton is the unknown factor. The veteran slugger has endured a long list of injuries. Most recently, he missed the first two months of this season with elbow issues. His contract runs through 2026, but durability may determine if he and Judge have enough time to reach 75.
History shows how long successful partnerships last. Ruth and Gehrig had 12 years together. Mantle and Berra had 13. Judge and Stanton have played side by side for seven seasons. If Stanton stays healthy and Judge maintains his production, the record is within reach. If not, they will remain a step behind the Bambino and the Iron Horse, just short of baseball immortality.
For now, they are cemented as the second-most prolific home run duo in Yankees history. Every time Judge and Stanton connect on the same night, the Yankees win more often than not, the scoreboard lights up, and the record book gets updated.
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