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Aaron rates up to 58 home runs after the fifth straight long ball game
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Aaron rates up to 58 home runs after the fifth straight long ball game

Before the Yankees popped champagne, Aaron Judge sprayed another ball into orbit.

The Yankees captain crushed his 58th home run of the season on Thursday night, tying a career high by homering in a fifth straight game en route to a 10-1 win over the Orioles to capture the AL East in The Bronx.

“He’s still playing video games and we’re working,” Giancarlo Stanton said. “Incredible to see.”


Aaron Judge points to the Bombers' dugout as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Orioles game on September 26, 2024.
Aaron Judge points to the Bombers’ dugout as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Orioles game on September 26, 2024. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

Judge’s two-run shot gave the Yankees a 9-0 lead in the seventh inning and sent the crowd into a frenzy as “MVP” chants rained down on him.

“It’s just Aaron Judge — it’s greatness right in front of us,” manager Aaron Boone said.

With the division safe, Judge indicated he will likely take a day off this weekend during the final series of the regular season – which would be his first since June 19.

He may not reach the AL record 62 home runs he hit in 2022 in Sunday’s regular-season finale, with a 16-game drought likely cost him earlier this month, but he has suddenly put himself within striking distance with a late surge.

And his season could still end up being better than his first MVP campaign in 2022.


Aaron Judge hits a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Orioles game.
Aaron Judge hits a two-run homer in the seventh inning of the Yankees-Orioles game. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn images

“We’re really looking at a historically great player right now with what we’re seeing,” Boone said. “His strength obviously speaks for itself, but he takes great pride in being a versatile hitter. Like many great players in any sport, he is determined and obsessed with trying to get a little better at baseball year in and year out. “I don’t want to get hyperbolic and say he’s gone to a different level than (when he) hit 62 home runs and won the MVP. I don’t know if it’s a different level, but is he incrementally a better hitter today than he was then? I think the answer is yes.”

Judge finished Thursday hitting .325 with a 1.169 OPS and 144 RBIs (compared to hitting .311 with a 1.111 OPS and 131 RBIs in 2022).

Unless Bobby Witt Jr. (hitting .332) strings together a pair of 0-fers to end the season, Judge will likely miss out on the Triple Crown, but he still appears to be on his way to his second AL MVP.

The home run Thursday gave Judge 144 RBIs on the season, the most by any player since Ryan Howard’s 146 in 2008.


Boone said the Yankees would “love” to secure the AL’s best record — their magic number to do that is two, with a one-game lead over the Guardians — but indicated he’ll likely make some of his workhorses will get a day off against the Pirates.


The Yankees drafted Mark Leiter Jr. on the paternity list Thursday and called up reliever Scott Effross from Triple-A.

After a rocky start to his tenure with the Yankees following a trade from the Cubs at the deadline, Leiter had pitched three straight scoreless outings – albeit in lower-leverage pitches – while striking out six in 3 ⅔ innings.


Pirates Stud right-hander Paul Skenes, the potential NL Rookie of the Year, will make his final start of the season Saturday at Yankee Stadium, where he will face AL Rookie of the Year candidate Luis Gil.