Yankees' Aaron Judge launches 50th and 51st home runs as he continues to chase his AL record
Judge set the AL record for home runs in a single season with 62 in 2022
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The man in the Bronx is at it again. Aaron Judge hit his 50th and 51st home runs for the New York Yankees this season as he continues to chase his American League record.
Judge broke Yankees legend Roger Maris' single-season home run record when he blasted 62 in 2022.
But Judge, who won AL MVP that season, is officially in position to rewrite the record books as he becomes the first player in MLB to reach 50 home runs this season, while pacing for 63 homers by the end of the regular season with 31 games left to play after Sunday.
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New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge hits a two-run homer in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports)
The next closest is the NL MVP frontrunner, Shohei Ohtani, who has 41 big flies.
Judge's first homer came in the bottom of the first inning against the Colorado Rockies' left-handed starter, Austin Gomber, who is 61st out of 62 qualified starters in MLB in home runs allowed per nine innings (1.70).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CAN AARON JUDGE BREAK HIS OWN AMERICAN LEAGUE HOME RUN RECORD?
Gomber threw Judge an 0-2 changeup that was low in the strike zone, but it was just high enough for the right-handed slugger to wait back and launch his arms toward the ball.
When he made contact, the Yankee Stadium crowd rose up as it flew to left center field, and it cleared the fence to put his team up 2-1 in the bottom of the first inning.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This home run came after Judge broke his 11-game hit streak in Saturday's loss to the Rockies.
New York center fielder Aaron Judge is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two-run homer against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports)
Then, with the Yankees up 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Juan Soto launched his career-high 37th homer to push the lead up to two. Judge decided to swing at the first pitch he saw from Jeff Criswell after Soto trotted around the bases, and he just got it out into the right field seats for his second of the day.
While Judge chases his home run record, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more homers in three of his first nine seasons.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Also, with this home run coming in the first inning, Judge tied former Yankee Alex Rodriguez for the most in a single season with 18 this year.
Judge’s torrid run this season has been remarkable for MLB fans to watch, let alone the Yankees faithful. Many have commented about his performance, with comparisons to the great Barry Bonds coming up due to teams starting to intentionally walk him just to avoid situations like Gomber had on Sunday.
Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz recently spoke to Fox News Digital about Judge this year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Man, that guy’s a beast," Ortiz told Fox News Digital at Fanatics Fest last Friday. "You’re talking about a guy who has all the tools. And he’s at another level body-wise. He’s just special."
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge becomes the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more homers in three of his first nine seasons. (Wendell Cruz-USA Today Sports)
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Whether Judge can flirt with his record, or even beat it, remains to be seen. But he has an entire month left of the regular season, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down.
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