New York — Aaron Judge continues his impressive pursuit of a .400 batting average, raising his average to .396 after a noteworthy performance on Sunday. He belted two home runs and recorded three hits, reaching base four times. However, despite Judge’s efforts, the New York Yankees fell to the Boston Red Sox, 11-7.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted Judge’s aggressive hitting style, praising the slugger’s performance throughout the weekend. “We had a chance to challenge him a few times, and he did what he does,” Cora said. “He’s on another level right now.”
Before hitting a 398-foot home run in the ninth inning, Judge’s average matched Babe Ruth’s franchise-record .393, set in 1923. That home run tied him with Lou Gehrig for third place in Yankees history for career multi-homer games, with 43.
“Of course, it would have been sweeter if we had won,” Judge remarked. “Any time you get mentioned with those legends, it’s quite an honor.”
No player in Major League Baseball has managed to hit .400 since Ted Williams achieved the feat in 1941, but Judge has proven to be capable of reaching remarkable milestones. He recently surpassed Roger Maris’ long-standing American League record for home runs in a season, having hit 62 in 2022.
Teammate Paul Goldschmidt weighed in on Judge’s performance, calling him “the best hitter on the planet right now.” He added that Judge’s consistency makes the admiration even more pronounced. “It’s not just a one-night thing. We’re all almost in awe of him,” Goldschmidt stated.
Judge’s first home run came on a pitch from rookie Hunter Dobbins, who, ironically, had previously said he would “retire” before playing for the Yankees. Dobbins acknowledged the challenge Judge presents, admitting, “I left a pitch up.”
Judge’s strong game provided some hope for the Yankees, contributing to a sixth-inning rally where he scored to narrow the gap to 7-4. In the fifth inning, he also connected for an infield single, bringing the tying run to the plate, although the rally fell short as Cody Bellinger popped out.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Judge’s performance, highlighting the uniqueness of his home runs. “You don’t see balls hit the other way like that very often. Judgy likes playing in these games, and you just saw a great player have a great night,” Boone said.
As Judge vies for a batting average above .400, he approaches a rare achievement in baseball history. Since Williams’ record-setting .406 in 1941, the closest players have come are Tony Gwynn’s .394 in 1994 and George Brett’s .390 in 1980.
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