Aaron Judge passes Joe DiMaggio on Yankees' career home run list
Judge's first-inning blast Friday gave him 362 career homers; he had met President Trump and hit two homers the previous night
Aaron Judge moved past Joe DiMaggio on the New York Yankees' all-time home run list Friday night, belting a first-inning homer against the Boston Red Sox for the 362nd long ball of his major league career.
Judge reached 362 home runs in his 1,130th big-league game, surpassing DiMaggio's total of 361, which the Hall of Famer compiled over 1,736 games. DiMaggio's career, which ended with his last homer on Sept. 28, 1951, was interrupted by three seasons of military service during World War II.
The milestone came a day after Judge greeted President Donald Trump in the Yankees' clubhouse. Trump attended Thursday's game at Yankee Stadium, and Judge homered twice that night against the Detroit Tigers, a performance that tied and then set up the franchise passing mark. Judge went 3-for-4 in the game with a pair of solo homers.
Trump praised Judge in media remarks the following morning, saying, "Aaron Judge, he is some player, but he is some strong guy," and making a personal compliment about the slugger's physical strength. Judge, asked about the president's visit, said the clubhouse atmosphere benefited from the appearance and joked that the team should have Trump around "more often." The comments were reported by media outlets covering the games.
Judge's homer Friday was his 47th of the season and raised his major-league-leading batting average to .324. Earlier in the week he had moved past longtime Yankees catcher Yogi Berra for fifth on the franchise list.
On the Yankees' career home run leaderboard, Judge now sits behind franchise greats Babe Ruth (659 homers with New York), Mickey Mantle (536) and Lou Gehrig (493). The stretch of games in which Judge climbed the list underscores a rapid accumulation of power numbers in a comparatively short career; Judge reached 362 homers in 1,130 games, well fewer than the games it took DiMaggio to reach 361.
The milestone adds to a season in which Judge has been among Major League Baseball's top hitters, both in power and average. Yankees officials and teammates have noted his leadership role as team captain, and the franchise has celebrated his steady climb up the all-time list.
Judge's ascent on the Yankees' home run chart comes as the team pursues its postseason goals late in the regular season. The Yankees and their fans have frequently marked historical milestones at Yankee Stadium, and Thursday and Friday's back-to-back performances placed Judge among the most prominent sluggers in the franchise's long history.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
