It seems like every time Aaron Judge steps up to the plate, another record is in jeopardy of being shattered. Well, you can add another one to the list. The Yankees captain just keeps climbing the franchise’s Mount Rushmore of home run hitters.
With his latest blast, a first-inning rocket against the Detroit Tigers, he officially surpassed the legendary Yogi Berra for fifth place on the New York Yankees’ all-time home run list. That’s right, number 359 just sailed over the wall, leaving another icon in the rearview mirror.
Let’s be honest, it’s getting a little ridiculous. Judge is making this look too easy. He took a full-count splitter from Casey Mize and sent it screaming into right-center field at 110.6 mph. The ball traveled 412 feet, but it might as well have been a million for all the suspense it had. It was gone from the second it left the bat.
This wasn’t just another home run in another game. This was Judge cementing his legacy, moving past a player whose name is synonymous with Yankees baseball. Yogi Berra, a Hall of Famer and a beloved figure, held that spot since 1957. It just goes to show you the kind of company Judge is keeping these days.
Passing Berra is one thing, but the captain isn’t done climbing. Next on the list? None other than “The Yankee Clipper” himself, Joe DiMaggio, who sits at 361. At the rate he is hitting them, DiMaggio might want to start looking over his shoulder. He’ll likely be passed before the month is over.
What makes this even more incredible is that Judge is doing all this while having another MVP-caliber season. The man is on a tear, chasing the Triple Crown and making pitchers question their career choices on a nightly basis. When he tied Berra’s record, Judge was his typical, humble self, talking about what Berra meant to the pinstripes. You have to love the guy’s attitude. He understands the history, he respects the legends, and then he goes out and surpasses them. All in a day’s work for the captain.
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