Aaron Judge crushes first HR in months as Yankees clinch playoff berth

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Aaron Judge crushes first HR in months as Yankees clinch playoff berth

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Sep 14, 2026 11:18 PM ET

Making a September return to help push the New York Yankees into the playoffs, Aaron Judge found his stroke again on Monday night.

In the Yankees' 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins, which clinched a postseason berth for the current American League wild-card leaders, Judge hit his first home run in over three months.

Aaron Judge hit his first HR since May to secure the win

With his team clinging to a 4-2 lead at the time, Judge put the game out of reach with one swing in the top of the eighth inning.

Judge's three-run blast into the stands in left field was his first long ball since crushing a walk-off on May 24.

Judge's home run drought was due to missing most of the season, 99 days to be exact, with a stress fracture in his rib. And after being named the American League MVP in back-to-back years and three of the last four seasons, Judge has only been able to play in 65 games in 2026.

Cap is back #ALLRISE ‍⚖️ pic.twitter.com/1yoTZIaJTN
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 15, 2026

And when on the field, Judge has hit 18 home runs, driven in 41 runs, scored 43 and posted a slash line of .243/.363/.515, a dip in production from his normal standards.

Judge is back and hot at the perfect time for the Yankees

But as Judge now seems healthy and back to full strength, the Yankees are hoping they have their captain at the right time. Because despite his monster recent seasons, Judge has yet to lead the Yankees to a World Series title. New York has only even reached the Fall Classic once during their Judge era, a 2024 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Career wise, Judge now owns 386 home runs, 871 RBI, 918 runs scored, 1,262 hits and a .291 average and a .410 OBP in 11 MLB seasons.

With at least a wild card locked up, the Yankees and Judge's hot bat are still pursuing the American League East title, as they currently trail the Tampa Bay Rays by 3.5 games.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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