Aaron Judge isn’t just crushing baseballs — he’s rewriting history while he’s at it.
Yankees superstar, Aaron Judge, added another feather to his cap Monday night, launching his 11th first-inning home run of the season, tying him with none other than St. Louis Cardinals legend Mark McGwire for the most through a team’s first 78 games in MLB history.
Big Mac set the record for first inning home runs during the Home Run Chase in 1998 when he and Sammy Sosa battled it out for longball supremacy all season. Mark McGwire eventually beat Sosa, and Roger Maris, on his way to historic seventy home run season that captivated not just St. Louis and Chicago but the world.
Let’s pause on that. Eleven first-inning bombs. Not over a full season — this is just the first half. And while it’s expected that most homers come early in games — hitters are fresh, pitchers are still settling in — Judge’s consistency is next-level. Nearly 40% of his 28 home runs this year have come in the opening frame. That’s not just a hot start — that’s setting the tone, night after night.
And yes, McGwire’s record came in 2000 — not even during his iconic 70-homer 1998 campaign. So for Judge to be matching that kind of thunder? That’s big-time company.
Pitchers take note: when Aaron Judge steps in for his first at-bat of the game, you’d better bring more than heat. You’d better bring precision, planning, and probably a little luck too. Because if you leave one over the plate? He’s sending it into orbit — before your bullpen even gets comfy.
At 28 home runs on the year, Judge is again one of the most feared hitters in baseball. And with a long summer ahead, no one’s betting against him tacking on a few more before July’s even over — especially in inning No. 1.
The record books are watching. And so is McGwire.
