Aaron Judge hit his 61st home run Wednesday night in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, tying the single-season American League record. After more than a week of anticipation, Judge now shares the record with fellow New York Yankee Roger Maris and still has seven games to pull ahead.
Judge’s 61st homer came in the top of the seventh inning on the road in Toronto. Like many of Judge’s home runs this season, the two-run shot had a profound impact, breaking a 3-3 tie in a game that the Yankees went on to win 8-3. Though he was chasing the record, Judge said he was simply looking to provide for the team in an interview after the game.
”I was just trying to go up there and start a rally and get something going,” Judge said.
The Yankees’ star outfielder has expressed similar patience in recent days, as his home run chase stalled for eight days following his 60th home run on Sept. 20.
In the meantime, Judge has continued to provide for his team while chasing another prestigious title — the A.L. Triple Crown. He leads both leagues in home runs and RBIs while his .313 batting average is tied for first in the American League with Minnesota Twins second baseman Luis Arraez.
But doubles and walks haven’t been enough for Yankees fans desperately awaiting Judge’s 61st home run. The day before he tied the record, he walked in four of five at-bats against Toronto, a clear message by the Blue Jays that they had no desire to pitch to him.
But despite losing valuable time to chase the record in the past week, Judge never complained or expressed any real desire to make the home run record a priority. Following his four-walk game, he said he was content with the result.
“I’ll take four walks for a win every single day,” Judge said.
Judge’s patience finally paid off Wednesday, as he finally tied a mythic record in baseball history and still has plenty of time to break it in the next seven games. For those who invalidate the steroid-assisted seasons of Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, Judge could even become the undisputed home run king.
If the public’s fervor surrounding his 61st was any indication, the quest to 62 should prove even more intense. The Yankees begin a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at home on Friday.
