Aaron Judge launched his 350th career home run in his 1,088th game – demolishing Mark McGwire’s previous record by 192 games. The milestone came during a Yankees defeat, yet underscored Judge’s Ruthian pace toward baseball immortality.
This achievement gains deeper resonance through Judge’s unexpected friendship with McGwire, forged over shared injury struggles rather than home run talk, even as Judge’s 35th homer this season ties him for fourth-most before the All-Star break, trailing only Barry Bonds’ legendary first-half mark.
Judge now stands alone atop the list of fastest players to 350 home runs, significantly outpacing other legends:
A poignant irony colors Judge’s record-breaking feat: his relationship with McGwire. Judge revealed they’ve spoken periodically since 2020, bonding not over home runs, but over shared experience with a specific injury – fractured ribs – after McGwire’s son suffered the same ailment Judge endured that year.
“He asked, ‘How did I heal, what did I do?’ I gave some tips,” Judge recounted of their conversations. “We chitchatted a little bit. He has been great over the years.” This underscores a mentorship grounded in human experience rather than statistical comparison.
Saturday’s homer was also Judge’s 35th this season, tying him for fourth-most ever before the All-Star break. He now trails only Mariners’ Cal Raleigh (38) in the 2024 race – with Raleigh just one homer shy of Barry Bonds’ MLB first-half record of 39. Judge’s dual pursuit of single-season and career milestones continues at a breathtaking pace.
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