Oct 4, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits home run number sixty-twoto break the American League home run record in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Game Two-New York Yankees at Texas Rangers
Aaron Judge belted his 62nd home run of the year on Tuesday night against the Texas Rangers. In the second game of a doubleheader in the Lone Star State yesterday, Aaron Judge finally slammed a drive into the left-field stands to pass Roger Maris’ record for the most home runs by an American League player in a single season. Judge’s record-breaking 62nd dinger traveled 391-feet with an exit velocity of 100.2 mph.
Here is number 62.
pic.twitter.com/iHM3DEUkXF— 7️⃣7️⃣ WABC Sports (@77wabcsports) October 5, 2022
Judge tied Maris last Wednesday in Toronto, the night after the Yankees officially clinched the AL East title, but then went 3-for-16 with three singles and six walks (one intentional) across his next five games.
Honorably, the Rangers manager Tony Beasley said his ballclub would NOT intentionally walk Judge in this series, and they stuck to their words, but if you pitch at the homerun king, you best not miss.
As for the games, the Yankees won the first 5-4 and in the second where Judge went deep, they lost 3-2. Judge has enjoyed one of the best seasons in the history of the sport. The 30-year-old impending free agent leads the MLB in runs, homeruns, runs batted in, walks, on-base percentage, on-base slugging and total bases. Judge is currently just four points away from the AL Batting Title behind Twins’ Luis Arraez, with a game left to go. If Judge wins the Batting Title, he would become the first Triple-Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and just the third player since 1967 to do so.
The Yankees dugout was pumped for number 99.
pic.twitter.com/0Q7LOZcB4E— 7️⃣7️⃣ WABC Sports (@77wabcsports) October 5, 2022
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Aaron Judge earned the day off on Wednesday’s season finale. The slugger is a shoo-in for AL MVP honors, and is one postseason away from inking the largest annual contract in MLB history.
For now, the Bombers now set their sights from the number 62 to the number 28, as they continue their pursuit to World Series Ring number 28.
