CHICAGO – Aaron Judge has achieved another significant milestone during his outstanding MVP-caliber season.
In an unusual move, the White Sox chose to intentionally walk Juan Soto, leaving first base open to face Judge. On Wednesday night at Guaranteed Rate Field, the Yankees’ captain hit his 300th career home run, a three-run blast off Chicago’s Chad Kuhl in the eighth inning.
With this homer, Judge recorded his 43rd of the season, making him the fastest player to reach 300 career home runs in terms of games played, as noted by Elias Sports Bureau. He completed this feat in just 955 games, surpassing Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner’s previous record of 1,087 games.
The historic baseball was retrieved from the White Sox bullpen and given to Judge after the Yankees secured a 10-2 victory. Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Judge, stating, “What Aaron is doing is pretty special.”
Earlier in the week, Soto showcased his power by hitting three home runs in a game against the White Sox. On Wednesday, he added a solo shot in the first inning, bringing his total to four home runs in his last four official at-bats.
During the game, the Yankees led 6-2 after Alex Verdugo’s RBI double when interim White Sox manager Grady Sizemore decided to walk Soto intentionally to face Judge, who capitalized on the opportunity with his milestone homer.
Soto described Judge as “the greatest hitter in the world,” emphasizing how his teammate’s presence at the plate positively impacts his own performance. “When you’re hitting in front of a guy like that, you know you’re getting pitches,” Soto remarked.
Following Judge’s 299th home run hit on Sunday in the Bronx, Boone reflected on Judge’s exceptional talent, expressing a tendency to take his greatness for granted and acknowledging the remarkable player he has become.
In the context of Yankees history, Judge becomes the seventh player to hit 300 home runs for the franchise, joining legends like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, and Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez, with 351 home runs while a Yankee, is next in line on the franchise’s all-time home run list, while Ruth holds the top spot with 659 homers.
At 32 years old, Judge already holds the franchise and American League record for most home runs in a single season, having hit 62 homers in 2022. As he seeks to challenge his own record this season, the increase in intentional walks may present a unique challenge.