Aaron Judge Passes Yogi Berra on Yankees’ All-Time Home Run List
Judge’s 359th career homer, a first-inning drive off Casey Mize, moved him past Berra into fifth on the franchise leaderboard
Aaron Judge moved past Hall of Famer Yogi Berra on the New York Yankees’ career home run list Tuesday night, hitting his 359th long ball to claim sole possession of fifth place in franchise history.
Judge connected in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers, driving a full-count splitter from Casey Mize to right-center field for a solo shot that put New York ahead 1-0. The drive traveled an estimated 412 feet and registered an exit velocity of 110.6 mph; it also marked Judge’s 44th homer of the season.
The long ball moved Judge past Berra on the Yankees’ all-time list. Judge had tied Berra previously on Aug. 31 when he homered against the Chicago White Sox. The Yankees’ franchise leaders remain Babe Ruth (659 homers), Mickey Mantle (536), Lou Gehrig (493) and Joe DiMaggio (361), with Judge now directly behind them.
Selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2013 amateur draft, Judge homered in his first at-bat with New York on Aug. 13, 2016. Over his major league career, he has become the face of the franchise’s modern power era as he continues to climb the franchise leaderboard.
Berra, a 10-time World Series champion as a player and coach and a three-time American League MVP, died in 2015 at age 90. He remains among the most celebrated figures in Yankees history; Judge’s passing of Berra adds a new chapter to the franchise’s long list of sluggers.
Judge’s homer Tuesday continued a season in which he has been a central figure in New York’s lineup, contributing power and run production. The milestone drew attention not only for its place in franchise history but for its timing as the Yankees pursue postseason positioning.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.