Yankees Captain Aaron Judge’s 362nd Blast Moves Him Past The Great Joe DiMaggio

Another night, another towering shot that disappears into the darkness, another milestone for Aaron Judge. On a brisk Friday night in Boston, with the ghosts of Fenway Park whispering tales of rivalries past, the New York Yankees captain etched his name deeper into the franchise’s sacred history.

With a thunderous crack of the bat in the first inning, Judge launched a 468-foot missile over the Green Monster. It wasn’t just his 47th home run of the season; it was career blast number 362. A number that now places him alone in fourth place on the Yankees’ all-time home run list, pushing past the iconic “Yankee Clipper,” Joe DiMaggio.

There’s a poetry to it, isn’t there? Passing a legend like DiMaggio at Fenway Park, the cathedral of the enemy, with a home run that left no doubt. It was what manager Aaron Boone called one of those “Aaron blows”—a shot that demoralizes the opposition and energizes his own dugout before they’ve even settled in. It was a statement. The Yankees went on to win 4-1, padding their lead in the AL East, but the story of the night was Judge continuing to make history.

A Legacy Forged in Pinstripes

To understand the weight of this achievement, you have to take a look at the names on that list. Ahead of Judge now stand only the titans on the Mount Rushmore of Yankees power: Lou Gehrig (493), Mickey Mantle (536), and, who many still call the GOAT, Babe Ruth (659). These aren’t just players; they are baseball deities. Judge, ever the humble captain, deflected the personal glory.

“It’s special,” Judge admitted, “but just like all those guys in front of me on those lists, they weren’t playing for records. They were playing to win… I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps. I’m here to win.”

And that’s the core of Aaron Judge. He’s a player who seems to grasp the immense responsibility of wearing the pinstripes. He understands that in the Bronx, individual accolades are secondary to championship rings. DiMaggio won nine of them. Ruth, Mantle, and Gehrig each collected seven. Judge is still chasing his first. Every swing, every home run, is a step toward that ultimate goal. He isn’t just climbing a list; he’s chasing a legacy defined by victory.

The Judge-Stanton Dilemma for the Yankees

Ironically, Judge’s historic tear comes while he’s technically still in a “rehab process” for a right elbow flexor strain. General Manager Brian Cashman’s words paint a picture of a player so transcendent, he can recover at the Major League level while still performing better than almost anyone else.

His recent surge—four homers in four games—also highlights a pressing question for the Yankees as the postseason looms: What is the optimal lineup? While Judge is scorching hot, slugger Giancarlo Stanton is mired in a deep slump. The ideal scenario is a healthy Judge patrolling right field with Stanton at DH. But Boone is now considering playing Judge in left field to find a way to get the most out of his two power hitters. It’s a testament to Judge’s team-first mentality and athleticism that the team even feels comfortable moving their 6-foot-7 right fielder around the outfield.

As Judge chases Gehrig and the hallowed 500-homer club, he continues to build a résumé that places him among the greatest Yankees of all time. He’s doing it with breathtaking power, a league-leading .323 batting average, and a quiet dignity that echoes the legends he now surpasses. He may chuckle at the thought of ever touching DiMaggio’s untouchable 56-game hitting streak, but his own brand of consistent, awe-inspiring dominance is carving a unique and unforgettable chapter in the Yankees’ history.

For now, the baseball world watches every at-bat, waiting for the next ball to soar into the stands, and the next legendary name to fall in Judge’s historic pursuit.