Aaron Judge may once again break the American League home run record.
The New York Yankees powerhouse launched his 40th home run of the season on Friday, making him the first player in the majors to reach that milestone this year.
He achieved this feat in spectacular fashion, sending the ball 477 feet into the bleachers in left field at Yankee Stadium.
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New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) connects for a two-run homer against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/USA Today Sports)
This two-run blast came off Kevin Gausman, marking the sixth home run he’s hit against the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, bringing in his 100th and 101st runs of the season.
Since May 3, Judge has been on fire, batting .377 with 34 home runs and an impressive 1.338 OPS.
This is quite the revival for Judge, who was hitting just .197 on May 2, leading Yankees fans to call for his benching.
The New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge celebrates his home run during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
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Despite the poor start, he now leads the league in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and total bases. His .318 batting average ranks him third in Major League Baseball.
Judge is on track to hit 58 home runs this season, likely putting him in the company of Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Alex Rodriguez as one of the only players in MLB history to hit 50 homers in three different seasons.
His pace since May 5 suggests he could reach a staggering 72 home runs, making his previous record of 62 homers set in 2022 seem achievable.
Currently, Judge is in the second year of a nine-year, $360 million contract he signed following that season. His average annual value of $40 million is the highest ever offered to a position player, although his teammate Juan Soto may eclipse it this offseason.
Last year, the contract raised concerns as Judge was sidelined due to a toe injury after colliding with a concrete section of the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium. He was batting .291 with a 1.078 OPS before the injury but fell to .238 after returning.
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) celebrates after his two-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays with right fielder Juan Soto (22) during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/USA Today Sports)
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However, it seems fans need not worry any longer.
The Yankees have won five consecutive games after struggling through an 11-24 stretch following a strong start of 50-22. As of Friday, they were tied for the AL East lead with the Baltimore Orioles, who are facing their own challenges.
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