Aaron Judge Hits 40th Home Run, Joins Yankees Legends

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge made headlines again by hitting his Major League-leading 40th home run in his first at-bat on Friday. This achievement puts him in an exclusive club as the fourth Yankees player to hit 40 or more homers in at least three seasons, joining legends like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Mickey Mantle.

Judge’s impressive two-run homer came in the first inning off Toronto‘s Kevin Gausman and was projected to fly 477 feet into the left-field bleachers. This shot is the third-longest home run of his career, with two longer ones being recorded in past seasons.

“If it came with a win tonight, that would be pretty sweet,” Judge commented after the game. He was pleased to finally connect after sitting on 39 homers and 99 RBIs for a while, especially since Juan Soto had joked with him about wanting to be that 100th RBI.

In addition to his home run, Judge went 2-for-4 with a walk, maintaining his amazing .318 batting average. He leads the Majors in several categories, including home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, showcasing his phenomenal offensive performance this season.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider couldn’t help but praise Judge, calling his stats “ridiculous” and “a joke” when you look them up. Judge’s impressive drive reached a speed of 117.5 mph, making it the second-longest homer hit in the Majors this year.

Last year, Judge etched his name in history by hitting 62 home runs, breaking Roger Maris’ single-season AL record. He also hit 52 homers in 2017, earning the title of AL Rookie of the Year and finishing second in MVP voting.

Interestingly, Judge’s six career home runs off Gausman makes him the most successful batter against that pitcher. His history against the Blue Jays is also notable, with 37 career home runs against them, which is the highest by a Yankee against Toronto.

On Fan Appreciation Day, he continued his run with a 41st home run, further extending his lead. The Yankees faced off against the Blue Jays the following day and came away with an 8-3 victory. Judge, alongside other players, contributed to the win as the Yankees look to hold their position at the top of the AL East.