There’s a new American League single-season home run king.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge entered the baseball history books with his 62nd home run of the 2022 season on Tuesday, an American League record.
All-time home run king Barry Bonds is one of only three MLB players to hit more home runs in a single season.
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both hit more than 61 home runs in multiple seasons.
All three players played in the National League. Judge’s 62-home run season broke an American League record previously held by Roger Maris, a Yankees right fielder who hit 61 home runs in 1961.
Judge is the first player to break a league home run record since Bonds’ historic 2001 73-home run season, which remains the all-time single-season record.
Judge’s record-setting season stands out from the home run kings of the late 1990s and early 2000s in one crucial respect. Bonds, McGwire and Sosa have all been implicated in the use of performance-enhancing drugs, unlike Judge.
The record-setting blast came off of Texas Rangers right-hander Jesus Tinoco at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
“The Babe hitting 60 in ’27, The Jolly Roger hitting 61 in ’61, and now Aaron Judge hits his 62nd home run”
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 5, 2022
The record has wrought comparisons to Maris and Babe Ruth himself, another Yankees right fielder who held the record of baseball’s all-time home run king for decades.
Judge is a devout Christian.
The slugger’s Twitter bio states, “Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball.”
In fact, Judge first thanked the Almighty for His help in breaking the record, speaking after Tuesday’s contest.
“I’ve got to thank God for putting me in this position and getting me to where I’m at,” Judge said in an MLB Network interview after Tuesday’s game.
“If you go into every single at-bat with no fear and just a calmness… good things are going to happen.”
Good things happened for Aaron Judge tonight as he made MLB history.@TheJudge44 | @jonmorosi | @Yankees | #AllRise pic.twitter.com/Ym8Kdf4zUr
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 5, 2022
The slugger also thanked his family, friends and coaches that have contributed to his baseball career.
Judge later referenced God in a tweet after the record-breaking long ball.
What a night. Such a blessing from God to share that moment with so many special people! Thank you @RogerMarisJr, the Yankees, my teammates, my family and all the Yankee fans for such an incredible day! pic.twitter.com/soiC52sOth
— Aaron Judge (@TheJudge44) October 5, 2022
Judge’s Yankees begin a playoff series against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.
