Aaron Judge continues to make history with the Yankees and has thrust himself right back into the conversation for another legendary season. After blasting a spectacular walk-off home run, the New York captain reached a milestone that puts him ahead of several baseball legends.
The slugger played the 1,200th game of his career and already boasts 385 home runs, the highest number recorded by any player in their first 1,200 Major League games. The mark places him ahead of historic names such as Ralph Kiner (327), Juan Gonzalez (326), and Mark McGwire (322).
What is most impressive is the speed with which he reached that figure. Judge hit his 385th home run in just 1,198 games, whereas McGwire—the next fastest to do so—needed 1,379 games to reach that total.
Aaron Judge eyes another historic season
Although he recently went through a brief offensive slump, Yankees manager Aaron Boone never lost confidence in his superstar.
“Just going through it a little bit right now,” he said. “Usually that means good things are coming on the other side. He’ll get through it, and somebody will pay the price real soon.” Boone assured.
The response came immediately. With his decisive walk-off blast, Judge confirmed that he remains one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball and is maintaining the pace to hit the 50-home run mark once again.
If he pulls it off, it would be the fifth season of his career with at least half a hundred home runs—an unprecedented feat in Major League history. Neither Hank Aaron nor Barry Bonds ever accomplished such a record.
The Yankees dream big
In addition to Judge’s extraordinary level of play, the Yankees remain firmly in the hunt for the American League postseason. Despite a slight dip in collective performance over recent weeks, the Bronx franchise still boasts one of the most complete rosters in MLB and is confident that its captain will once again lead a new offensive surge toward October.
With every home run, Judge not only edges New York closer to its goals, but he also continues to build a legacy that already ranks him among the most dominant hitters modern baseball has ever seen.
Read the full article here
