New York Yankees: Aaron Judge ties Babe Ruth with 60th home run

For the first time in more than 60 years, an American League player has hit 60 home runs in a season. New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge hit his 60th home run of the season, making him the first American League player to hit 60 home runs in a season since Yankees outfielder Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961.

Yankees: Aaron Judge hits his 60th home run of the season

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has become only the third American League player to ever hit 60 or more home runs in the season. Coincidentally, both players that have done it in the American League before were outfielders for the Yankees.

• 1. Roger Maris, 61, 1961
• T-2. Babe Ruth, 60, 1927
• T-2. Aaron Judge, 60, 2022

Judge accomplished the feat on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium.

It also helped the Yankees rally to beat the Pirates. Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Yankees were down 8-4. Pirates reliever Wil Crowe was on in relief and he faced Judge to start the inning.

The home run made it 8-5 but Giancarlo Stanton hit a walk-off grand slam to end the game and make it a 9-8 Yankees win.

Coincidentally, since 2007, the only other player besides Aaron Judge to hit more than 54 home runs in a season is Stanton. He hit 59 with the Miami Marlins back in 2017.

Overall, Judge reaching the 60 home run number has further cemented his case for AL MVP. Entering play on Tuesday, Judge was leading all of baseball in home runs (59), RBI (127), on-base percentage (.419), slugging percentage (.701), OPS (1.120), OPS+ (213), total bases (368), runs (122), intentional walks (17), and WAR (9.6).

He also is leading the American League in walks (92) and third in the AL in batting average (.316).

With Tuesday’s win, the Yankees maintained their 5.5-game lead on the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays (who are in third in the AL East) currently have the first and third AL Wild Card spots.