07/12/25 06:21:00
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07/12 18:20 CDT Aaron Judge becomes fastest to 350 homers, doing so in 1,088
games, bettering Mark McGwire's 1,280
Aaron Judge becomes fastest to 350 homers, doing so in 1,088 games, bettering
Mark McGwire's 1,280
By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --- Aaron Judge didn't just become the fastest player to hit 350
home runs, he did it in 192 fewer games than Mark McGwire.
"I just think he's playing in a different league," Yankees manager Aaron Boone
said after Judge's ninth-inning drive in Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Chicago
Cubs.
Judge homered to right-center on a high 0-2 fastball from Brad Keller, a
two-run shot a couple of rows into the right-center field seats.
He reached 350 in his 1,088th game. McGwire hit No. 350 in his 1,280th game,
against Detroit's Brian Moehler on June 2, 1997, bettering Harmon Killebrew in
his 1,319th game.
"Big Mac did a lot of great things in this game, and he's definitely a legend,"
Judge said.
Judge, who turned 33 in April, debuted with the Yankees at age 24 in 2016. The
two-time AL MVP also doubled twice and is hitting a major league-leading .358
with 35 homers and 81 RBIs.
"Would have been great if we got a win today," Judge said. "I've been
surrounded by a lot of great teammates, been on some good teams, so they really
put me in the best position to go out there and perform at my best."
McGwire finished in 2001 at age 38 with 583 homers, currently 11th on the
career list. He admitted in 2010 he used performance-enhancing drugs and has
been denied entry to baseball's Hall of Fame.
The Yankees captain has spoken with McGwire.
"I think it started with when I broke my first rib," Judge said. "I think his
son was kind of going through the same thing, so he was first asking me how did
I heal? What do we do? So I kind of gave him some tips on that. And then we
just kind of chit-chatted a little bit and kept in contact."
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