N.Y. Yankees: Judge Sets The Record Straight

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Make Room For

THE JUDGE

New York Yankees: Aaron Judge Breaks Mark McGwire's Home Run Record; Becomes First Rookie in Baseball History to Hit 50 Home Runs in a Season.

Holy Cow!

Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge is the first rookie in baseball history to hit 50 home runs in a season.

On Monday, the Yankees and Kansas City Royals played a make-up game at the Stadium.  Judge went 2 for 4, on this record setting day, with 3 RBI.  Thirty years after Mark McGwire set the former rookie record with 49 home runs in 1987, Judge tied McGwire in the third inning, then began the task of resetting the record in the seventh inning with his second home run of the game.

Monday makes four home runs in two games for Judge, who also hit two home runs on Sunday against the Blue Jays in Toronto.  He has now hit 13 home runs in the month of September.  The Yankees have six games left, all at home against the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto.

Aaron Judge is the 29th player in major league history to reach 50 home runs in a season.  He joins Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Alex Rodriguez, as the only Yankees player to reach 50 home runs in one season.

This also marks the ninth time a New York Yankee has posted 50 home runs in a season:

• 1920 - Babe Ruth; 54
• 1921 - Babe Ruth; 59
• 1927 - Babe Ruth; 60
• 1928 - Babe Ruth; 54
• 1956 - Mickey Mantle; 52
• 1961 - Mickey Mantle; 54
• 1961 - Roger Maris; 61
• 2007 - Alex Rodriguez; 54

Aaron Judge, 25-years old, retained his rookie status entering 2017 after playing in only 27 games and making 84 official at-bats last season.

During his first season (1920) with the Yankees, a then 25-year old Babe Ruth hit 54 home runs and drove in 135 runs.

As of close of business Monday, Aaron Judge is slashing .283/.418/.620, with a 1.038 OPS.  He has 108 RBI to go along with his 50 home runs, and leads the American League with 129 runs scored, 129 walks, and a ghastly 203 strikeouts.

Unavoidably, many fans believe Mark McGwire's achievements were of a dubious nature.  Therefore, arguments will likely be made for Judge setting this particular record straight.