Aaron Judge Passes Joe DiMaggio With 362nd Career Yankees Homer/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge hit his 362nd career home run Friday, moving past Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio on the franchise’s all-time list. The 468-foot blast over Fenway Park’s Green Monster powered the Yankees to a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. Judge now trails only Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Lou Gehrig in Yankees history.
Aaron Judge Surpasses DiMaggio: Quick Looks
- Judge hit his 362nd career homer, passing Joe DiMaggio for 4th in Yankees history.
- The homer was a 468-foot blast at Fenway Park, the longest there this season.
- It came one game after Judge tied DiMaggio with two homers at Yankee Stadium.
- Judge now trails only Ruth (659), Mantle (536), and Gehrig (493).
- He has hit four home runs in his last four games.
- Judge reached the milestone in 1,130 games; DiMaggio needed 1,736.
- The Yankees’ 4-1 victory extended their AL East lead over Boston to 1.5 games.
- Judge raised his batting average to .323, the best in MLB.
- He said he isn’t chasing DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, calling it “untouchable.”
- Manager Aaron Boone praised Judge’s homer as a “big shot in the arm” for the team.
Aaron Judge Passes Joe DiMaggio With 362nd Career Yankees Homer
Deep Look
Aaron Judge made history Friday night at Fenway Park, launching his 362nd career home run to move past Joe DiMaggio on the New York Yankees’ all-time list. The blast solidified Judge’s place among the franchise’s greats while helping the Yankees secure a pivotal 4-1 victory over the rival Boston Red Sox.
The Historic Home Run
Facing Boston starter Lucas Giolito, Judge wasted no time. He crushed the second pitch of the game, a towering 468-foot drive over the Green Monster and onto Lansdowne Street. According to Sportradar, it was the longest homer at Fenway Park this season and the longest since Judge’s 470-foot shot last July.
The solo blast gave New York a 1-0 lead in the first inning, setting the tone in a key divisional matchup as both clubs fight for playoff positioning.
Chasing Yankees Legends
With the homer, Judge moved past DiMaggio for fourth place on the Yankees’ all-time home run list. Only Babe Ruth (659), Mickey Mantle (536), and Lou Gehrig (493) remain ahead of him.
Judge hit his milestone in just 1,130 games, far fewer than the 1,736 games DiMaggio needed for his 361 career homers — a total slowed by his three-year military service during World War II.
“It’s special, but just like all those guys in front of me, they weren’t playing for records. They were playing to win,” Judge said. “I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps.”
A Hot Streak at the Plate
Friday’s homer was Judge’s fourth in as many games, continuing a late-season surge. He also walked twice, raising his batting average to .323, the best mark in Major League Baseball.
He now has 47 home runs on the season, putting him on pace for another MVP-caliber year.
A Nod to DiMaggio’s “Untouchable” Record
While Judge passed DiMaggio in home runs, he dismissed any thought of pursuing the Yankee icon’s most famous record: the 56-game hitting streak set in 1941.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’m getting that one,” Judge said with a laugh. “We can try, but I think that one’s untouchable.”
Yankees Riding the Momentum
The Yankees’ win extended their AL East lead over Boston to 1.5 games, with both teams still in contention for wild-card berths behind division-leading Toronto.
Manager Aaron Boone credited Judge’s homer with energizing the team early. “That was a big shot in the arm for us,” Boone said. “Aaron hitting one of those — you know, one of those Aaron blows — definitely got the boys going.”
Milestones and Championships
Judge recently passed Yogi Berra for fifth place on the Yankees’ list and shows no signs of slowing down. But he emphasized that personal records take a back seat to team goals.
“I’m trying to help put this team in the best position every single night,” Judge said. “That comes with homers, that comes with big moments like that. But at the end of the day, it’s about winning.”
While Ruth, Mantle, Gehrig, and DiMaggio all won multiple World Series titles, Judge is still chasing his first championship. For the Yankees captain, surpassing DiMaggio is an honor — but delivering a title to New York remains the ultimate goal.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.