Aaron Judge made Major League Baseball history on Wednesday night by hitting his 300th career home run, achieving the milestone at an unprecedented pace. The New York Yankees star reached this landmark during his 955th game, far quicker than any player before him.
Historic Milestone
In an impressive display of power, Judge hit his 300th career home run against the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox, trailing 6-2 in the eighth inning, opted to intentionally walk Juan Soto to face Judge. This decision backfired spectacularly as Judge launched a 110.1 mph line drive into the left field seats at Guaranteed Rate Field, giving the Yankees a commanding 9-2 lead with his 43rd home run of the season.
Reaching this milestone in only 955 games, Judge shattered the previous record held by Ralph Kiner, who took 1,087 games to hit 300 home runs. Judge’s accomplishment, 132 games quicker than Kiner, underscores his remarkable power and consistency at the plate.
MVP-Caliber Season
Judge’s performance this season has him on track for his second MVP Award. Leading the majors in home runs (43), RBIs (110), on-base percentage (.467), slugging percentage (.707), walks (102), and total bases (301), Judge is a dominant force. His .333 batting average is second only to Bobby Witt Jr.’s .349.
Remarkably, Judge is posting even better numbers than during his 62-homer season two years ago. If he maintains this pace, he could threaten his own home run record and join the elite company of Babe Ruth, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Alex Rodriguez as one of the few players with three 50-homer seasons.
A Season of Redemption
Judge’s journey this season has been one of redemption. After a slow start, batting just .197 on May 2, fans called for him to be benched. However, since May 3, Judge has been on fire, hitting .387 with a 1.342 OPS. This resurgence has silenced critics and reaffirmed his status as one of the game’s premier sluggers.
Currently in the second year of a nine-year, $360 million contract, Judge’s performance is justifying the Yankees’ significant investment. His $40 million annual average value is the highest ever for a position player, though teammate Juan Soto might surpass this in the upcoming offseason.
