Aaron Judge is having a pretty good season in 2024. Historically good even.
Through 84 games, Judge is slashing .316/.436/.708 (yes, his slugging percentage is .708) with 31 home runs, 82 runs batted in, and a 1.144 OPS. He leads Major League Baseball in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, and total bases, and leads the American League in doubles with 23.
Judge is the AL MVP favorite up to this point, and is having a season very similar to the one he had in 2022 when he broke the AL home run record. He’s on pace to fall just short of the record this year, but heading into July, he’s already set a new Yankees franchise record.
New York Yankees/Getty Images
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Judge’s 31 home runs before July 1 are the most by a Yankees player ever. The person he just passed? Someone by the name of Babe Ruth.
Ruth had 30 home runs before July 1 in 1928 and 1930. Judge has 31 before July 1 in 2024.
Most HRs by a Yankee player before July 1:
Aaron Judge: 31 in 2024
Babe Ruth: 30 in 1928, 1930— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 30, 2024
Judge got off to a slow start this year but has been nearly unstoppable ever since. Judge was hitting just .197 on May 3 and was getting booed by Yankee fans. Since then, Judge is slashing .297/.507/.922 with 25 home runs, 63 RBIs, a 286 wRC+, and an fWAR of 5.4. The player with the next-best fWAR in that time is Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who has a 4.1 fWAR since May 3.
Judge is not only competing for his second MVP award, but he’s also competing for the AL Triple Crown, trailing Los Angeles Angels utility man Luis Rengifo by .001 percentage points for the batting title. Judge has never won a triple crown but came close in 2022 when he led the league in home runs (62) and RBIs (131). However, his .311 batting average fell just short of then-Minnesota Twins infielder Luis Arraez, who hit .316.
Judge has already been named an All-Star after winning the popular vote, making the team for the fourth straight season. He’s also been the best player on a Yankees team that has been one of the best in baseball, entering Tuesday with a record of 54-32. Only the Philadelphia Phillies have more wins at this point in the season.
The Yankees are on a bit of a downturn, though, entering July having lost 11 of their last 16 games. They lost four consecutive series to the Boston Red Sox, Orioles, Atlanta Braves, and New York Mets before splitting a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays to close out June.
The Yankees will look to get back on track starting with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. As for Judge, he’ll look to keep his historically dominant season going.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.