Aaron Judge achieved another milestone, albeit one that may not be widely recognized. Rather than dwell on personal achievements, Judge preferred to highlight another significant win for the New York Yankees.
On Saturday, Judge set a new team record with his 34th home run before the All-Star break. This surpasses Roger Maris’ previous record of 33 home runs before the break in 1961, a season in which Maris famously set the MLB record with 61 home runs.
In 2022, Judge also hit 33 home runs before the All-Star break and went on to hit 62 for the season, breaking Maris’ American League record.
Judge’s home run on Saturday contributed to a 6-1 victory over Baltimore, bringing the Yankees within reach of the Orioles at the top of the AL East standings. Reflecting on his achievement, Judge was asked how he would have reacted in spring training if told he would hit 34 homers by the break.
“Hopefully those 34 homers came in a lot of wins,” Judge remarked. “That’s what matters most.”
The Yankees, with a record of 58-39, have won the first two games of their series against the Orioles at Camden Yards. This ended Baltimore’s streak of 22 series against AL East opponents without a loss. The Orioles (57-38) will seek to avoid a series sweep on Sunday, with the winner taking the division lead into the All-Star break.
In Saturday’s game, Judge and Juan Soto hit consecutive home runs in the fifth inning. Soto’s home run gave the Yankees a 5-1 lead, followed by Judge’s towering solo shot that traveled 431 feet.
Judge had an impressive performance in Friday night’s series opener, reaching base in all five plate appearances. Despite a challenging start to the season when his batting average was below .200 in early May, Judge maintained his focus on contributing to the team’s success.
“Things like that happen. You can’t worry about that, can’t worry about getting booed,” Judge reflected. “We were winning ballgames, that’s what really mattered to me. I have hundreds of at-bats to figure it out. We’re in a great position heading into the All-Star break.”
