NEW YORK — Only five players had hit 60 home runs in a single season in the history of the major leagues — that is, until New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge joined that exclusive club with a solo homer against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
The All-Star outfielder is now one home run shy of tying Roger Maris' American League single-season record of 61 home runs, set in 1961, which also stood as the major league mark for 37 years.
With his 60th home run, the 6-foot-7 Judge also tied Babe Ruth (1927) for eighth place on the single-season home run list as the Yankees rallied for a 39-8 win. «I have to believe it's right there with some of the best, very short list of all-time seasons, what he's doing,» Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Judge's nightly chase for baseball history. «Our focus is obviously on winning, and what's at stake for us as a team.
But within that, to watch what he's doing, you certainly realize what a special season you're getting to witness.» There have now been nine 60-home run seasons in MLB history, done by six different players.