Yankees' Aaron Judge remaining even keel as he approaches career home run No. 300

CHICAGO — Aaron Judge has never publicly expressed astonishment — or really much in the way of anything approaching self-congratulations — when it comes to his individual accomplishments.

That dates to his breakout American League Rookie of the Year season in 2017, when he hit 52 homers, and has continued beyond his 62-homer season in 2022.

The latest example came on Sunday when Judge hit his 299th career homer, his MLB-leading 42nd of the season, to put himself on the precipice of becoming the fastest player (in terms of games) to reach 300.

“[Numbers] are not what we play for,” Judge said after the Yankees' 8-7 victory over the Rangers on Sunday. “I’m just here to help this team win and put them in a good position. Hopefully, it [No. 300] comes with a win. It would be something special.”

Judge hit home run No. 299 in his 952nd career game, making the 32-year-old all but a lock to take over the record, considering Ralph Kiner set it by hitting his 300th homer in his 1,087th career game.

While Judge discussed the impending achievement with his usual nonchalance, that was not the case when it came to those who watch him on an everyday basis.

“He is such an incredible hitter,” said Juan Soto, who hit his 29th and 30th homers of the season on Sunday. 

Judge entered Monday night’s game on a 56-homer pace, six shy of his 2022 total when he won his first MVP. That season was considered a gold standard for Judge, but through 117 games in 2024, the outfielder has outperformed himself in variety of statistical categories.

Judge came into Monday with 136 hits in 415 at-bats, slashing .328/.462/.699 with 42 homers, 106 RBIs, 26 doubles, 98 walks and 93 runs. Through his first 117 games in ’22, Judge had 129 hits in 437 at-bats and slashed .295/.393/.657 with 46 homers, 102 RBIs, 20 doubles, 69 walks and 98 runs.

Making this season even more impressive?

As of May 2 (33 games), Judge was slashing just .197/.331/.393 with six homers, 18 RBIs, six doubles, 24 walks (two intentional) and 12 runs. In 84 games since, Judge slashed .382/.513/.826 with 36 homers, 88 RBIs, 20 doubles, 74 walks (11 intentional) and 81 runs.

“I try to remind myself every now and then that I take him for granted,” Aaron Boone said. “His greatness, I'm getting to watch every day what he is able to do and be just the player that he has become. It is remarkable.”

Judge is poised to make a run at a second 60-homer season, though that task will likely be made more difficult with the number of intentional walks the slugger continues to get. The outfielder had an MLB-leading 13 intentional walks entering Monday, six of those coming in his last eight games.

Teams would rather someone, anyone, but Judge try and beat them. That is what makes the kind of home run Giancarlo Stanton hit on Sunday, a three-run shot that came on the heels of an intentional walk to Judge in the fifth inning, that much more significant.

“You’ve got to want that opportunity and to be able to capitalize on it,” Stanton said. “Otherwise, it’s going to keep happening. Whether it’s me or a lefty behind him, depending who’s starting, it’s important for us to capitalize on that.”

Hitting coach James Rowson has had a unique seat watching Judge’s development at the plate.

Rowson served as the organization’s minor-league hitting coordinator from 2014-16 and established a connection with Judge, whom the Yankees drafted late in the first round of the 2013 draft. After stops elsewhere in the big leagues, including serving as the Twins' hitting coach from 2017-19 and the Marlins' bench coach from 2020-22, Rowson returned to the Yankees this past offseason.

“He’s always had all the characteristics, he’s always shown all those things coming up,” Rowson said earlier this season of Judge. “But the experience he’s had in the big leagues, the adjustments that he’s made . . . he’s great now, but many will kind of forget, he had to work at it. He didn’t just come here and have that. He worked through it, and he became what he is today.”