Judge is now two home runs away from Roger Maris’ AL record of 61 in a season, set by the legendary Yankees right fielder in 1961, and is on track to hit 65 this year, which would be the fourth-highest of all time History of the Premier League.
“I’m focused on doing my best to be a good teammate and help the team win. If that means hitting a homer, that means hitting a homer, but that’s never been my focus.”
The Brewers got off to a hot start when Kolten Wong hit a three-run homer to put them 3-0 up by the end of the first. Yankee Oswaldo Cabrera hit a solo home run at the head of the second to cut the lead, but was immediately reset to three runs when Brewers outfielder Tyrone Taylor hit back with a solo home run at the end of the second.
Judge’s first home run of the day was a 414-foot shot to right center field at the top of the third inning that closed the gap to 4-2. After a string of goals, his second — a 443-foot bomb into left center field at the top of the seventh inning — helped seal the Yankees’ victory.
The New York slugger went 4-for-5 with four RBIs that day to take his batting average to a .316, just a point behind Minnesota Twins second baseman and AL leader Luis Arráez.
Given Judge’s sizable lead in both the HR and RBI categories of the American League, his move toward a batting crown could become the AL’s first Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and the Yankees’ first since the legendary, according to MLB Lead Mickey Mantle in 1956. com.
The Yankees have six games at home as of Tuesday, with two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and four against bitter rivals Boston Red Sox, and Judge only had one thing on his mind after the game. “We have some big games ahead of us. That’s really the only thing on my mind at the moment,” he said.
“We’re in a pennant hunt and the judge is sitting where he is, so every time he comes up there’s going to be that extra buzz,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the game.
“I experienced that when I played against Sammy in the NL Central [Sosa] and McGwire in 1998, where it’s like every time — it’s an event,” Boone continued [Yankee Stadium].”