Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees star, made headlines on Tuesday night by hitting his hardest struck ball in almost three years—a towering two-run home run against Kansas City Royals’ left-hander Noah Cameron. This home run, marking Judge’s 24th of the season, boasted an impressive exit velocity of 117.9 mph and traveled 469 feet, as recorded by Statcast.
While Judge has hit balls with higher exit velocities in his career—his top mark was a staggering 121.1 mph in 2017 against the Baltimore Orioles—Tuesday’s home run signifies a noteworthy moment as it represents his hardest hit since June 23, 2022, when he had an 118.4 mph ground out. Additionally, he did hit another home run earlier this season that exceeded the 117 mph threshold.
Interestingly, while his latest efforts have dazzled fans, this home run did not set a record for distance; Judge has hit six home runs that traveled farther, including two over 495 feet during his remarkable 2017 season. Notably, his longest in the past year came against the Toronto Blue Jays, measuring at 477 feet.
At 33 years old, Judge is enjoying an outstanding season, with a batting average of .396 and an OPS of .771, along with 23 home runs and driving in 55 runs. According to Baseball Reference, his contributions this season account for an estimated 5.2 Wins Above Replacement.
Despite his remarkable performance, Judge remains uninterested in participating in the upcoming MLB All-Star Home Run Derby, responding succinctly, “Nope. Same answer,” when asked about it last week.
This indicates a focused approach for Judge, who seems determined to concentrate on contributing to his team’s success rather than individual accolades. With his exceptional skills and consistency, fans can remain hopeful about the rest of the season and what lies ahead for Judge and the Yankees.