The New York Yankees rallied to defeat the Kansas City Royals 11-5 on Friday night, led by Aaron Judge, who hit a grand slam for his 41st home run and robbed a home run in right field.
Judge, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, is on track to hit 66 home runs, which would surpass Roger Maris’ club record of 61 from 1961. The only Yankees to have at least 40 home runs before the end of July in a season were Judge, Maris, and Babe Ruth in 1928.
Aaron Boone, the Yankees’ manager, exclaimed, “He’s amazing.” “He’s just doing some really special things.”
Judge received lavish gifts “Throughout the evening, there were louder cheers for MVP than when his home run in the eighth inning finished off yet another Yankees comeback. He concluded the game with six RBIs, giving him a major league-leading 89. He also got a single.
He believes he doesn’t feel any different at the plate despite having eight home runs and 19 RBIs in nine games since the All-Star break.
“Just like any other time,” he said.
The Yankees’ single-season record was set by Judge’s ninth multi-homer game, according to ESPN Stats & Information analysis. He entered the game tied for the most by a Yankee in a single season with Gleyber Torres (2019), Lex Rodriguez (2007), Mickey Mantle (1961), and Babe Ruth (1927).
“Gerrit Cole, the Yankees ace, remarked, “Just takes the magic wand and does his thing.”
Before hitting a 449-foot, two-run home run in the third inning, Judge prevented MJ Melendez from homering in the first inning by reaching over the right-field fence. After hitting a game-ending shot in the ninth inning of a 1-0 victory against Kansas City on Thursday night, it was his second home run in three at-bats.
“Hitting a homer is still above robbing one for me right now, but it’s still fun,” Judge said.
With 32 home runs entering the game, Kyle Schwarber of Philadelphia was second in the majors. In 2017, Judge won the AL Rookie of the Year after hitting a career-high 52 home runs.