Sports | September 25, 2017 5:08 pm
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge Breaks Rookie Home Run Record
Surpasses Mark McGwire's total of 49 set in 1987.
Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees points to the sky after a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on July 7, 2017. (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
By Will Levith
Given that the New York Yankees have already clinched a playoff birth, everything that happens from here until the end of the season is gravy. But rookie phenom Aaron Judge swung himself into the record books once again, this time for a much less dubious reason.
In this afternoon's game against the Kansas City Royals, Judge broke the single-season rookie home run record by smashing Nos. 49 and 50, eclipsing a record that stood since 1987, when it was set by Oakland Athletics' star Mark McGwire, per ESPN.
The record-breaking blast came off of Royals' pitcher Trevor Cahill in the seventh inning.
This caps a shoo-in rookie-of-the-year campaign for Judge, who is currently leading the American League in home runs, runs, and walks. (That aforementioned not-so-incredible record was the single-season consecutive strikeouts in games record Judge felled back in August; he also leads both leagues in K's with 202.) The young slugger was also named to the AL All-Star team and took home the Home Run Derby crown.
Two days ago, the likely NL rookie of the year, Cody Bellinger, broke the NL's rookie home run record, swatting his 39th. That's good for third behind Judge and McGwire, too.
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