Jun 1, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) gets out of the way of a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Yankees Superstar Joins Team Legend in Record Books

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 10:00 AM ET

New York Yankees superstar slugger and captain Aaron Judge has set yet another record with his hot start to the 2025 season, one that puts him in the company of a team legend.

Judge ended the month of May with 21 home runs and a .398 batting average. The only other player in MLB history to accomplish more than 20 HRs and a greater than .390 average in May is Yankees legend Mickey Mantle, who finished May of 1956 with 20 HR and a .414 average.

The Hall-of-Famer ended the 1956 season with 132 runs, 52 home runs, a .353 batting average and .705 slugging percentage. He would go on to play with the Yankees until 1968, an 18-year career in the MLB. Mantle was also a three-time American League MVP and seven-time world series champion. He was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1974.

Judge is having a stellar season so far. He leads the AL in runs (55), batting average (.391) and on base percentage (.485). He trails just Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh for 2nd in the AL for 2025 home runs. This sort of dominant performance is almost expected of Judge, who lead the AL in HRs last season and lead the AL in batting average in 2022 and 2024. Given that the MLB season is now 8 games longer than it was in 1956, he has even more opportunities to outdo Mantle and secure his spot in the Hall of Fame.

While the Yankees offered a pitiful performance in a World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend, leading to a disappointing 2-18 loss, Judge was on the board with 2 home runs. They'll return home to Yankee Stadium this week to take on the Cleveland Guardians, likely with Judge's offensive prowess front and center.

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