Yankees’ Judge hits his 300th career home run

CHICAGO — Every now and then, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone lets himself be swept away by the reality of having one of the best vantage points in all of baseball: He’s standing on the top step of the dugout as Aaron Judge approaches the batting cage.

“I try to remind myself what I get to see every day, what he’s been able to do and just the player and the hitter that he’s become,” Boone said Sunday. “It’s remarkable.”

Boone watched from the visitors’ dugout on Wednesday as Judge hit his 300th career home run off Chicago White Sox reliever Chad Kuhl, on a 361-foot drive to left field in the eighth inning. Judge became the fastest player to reach 300 career home runs, doing so in 955 games, surpassing Ralph Kiner’s record of 1,087 games. He also did it in the fewest at-bats, completing the feat in 3,431. The previous record holder, Babe Ruth, needed 3,830 at-bats to reach that mark.

Judge’s home run moves him to 43 for the season, putting him on pace for 58 home runs and putting him within striking distance of surpassing his American League single-season record of 62 home runs, set in 2022. Even if Judge doesn’t reach 62, he’s having a better season overall this year than he did in 2022. He has a higher batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and strikeout percentage compared to his 2022 season. Historically, Judge’s current wRC+ would give him the fourth-best offensive season since 1957, bettered only by Barry Bonds’ 2001, 2002 and 2004 seasons. While Judge and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are battling for the top of the fWAR standings, Judge’s delivery of one of the best offensive seasons ever should make him the favorite to win his second American League MVP award.

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“It’s unbelievable. He does something special every night,” teammate Giancarlo Stanton said of Judge. “Because I’ve been able to watch most of his career so far — except for one year — it’s fun to see the evolution.

The 32-year-old Judge is the 13th active player to have hit 300 home runs; Stanton tops that list with 422. Next on the active leaderboard for Judge is teammate and close friend Anthony Rizzo, who has hit 303 home runs.

For his career, Judge has averaged 51 home runs per 162 games. If he continues at this pace, Judge would reach 500 career home runs in his 36th season. Although Stanton is approaching 500, his inability to stay healthy could drop him just short of the milestone. Given Judge’s age and his status as the most prolific power hitter since Bonds, he could be the next active player to join the 500-home run club.

“He has more up his sleeve,” Stanton said.

GALLING DEEPER

Aaron Judge, who is on the verge of hitting 300 home runs, is being treated like Barry Bonds – and for good reason

(Photo: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)