Judge Doesn’t Homer Against Pirates, Improves Average In Triple Crown Race

Aaron Judge didn’t hit a home run Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates. If that doesn’t sound like news to you, then you haven’t been watching him lately.

In his last 30 games for the New York Yankees, Judge has been on an unstoppable tear, hitting .396 with 14 home runs and 27 RBIs. With 60 homers this season and 14 games remaining, the star outfielder has already tied Babe Ruth’s mythic 1927 total and is one away from tying the American League record of 61, set by fellow Yankee Roger Maris in 1961.

Judge hit his 60th in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Pirates on Tuesday, resulting in a dogpile of Yankees fans in the left-center field stands. After more than a century of baseball, he became just the sixth player to hit 60 home runs in a single season, joining Ruth, Maris, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. The Yankees went on to win the game 9-8 on a walkoff grand slam by Giancarlo Stanton.

Though Judge failed to tie Maris’ record in the Yankees’ 14-2 victory over Pittsburgh Wednesday, his 2-for-4 performance still furthered his quest for another prestigious title. With 60 home runs and 128 RBIs, he comfortably leads the American League in both categories. The Triple Crown is well within reach, as his .317 batting average ties him for the A.L.-high with Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Judge’s historic season, in which he is almost certain to earn MVP honors, could not have come at a better time, as he is about to become one of the most highly sought free agents in recent memory.

The Yankees will likely do everything in their power to resign him, as losing the face of their franchise would lead to significant upheaval from fans. But they aren’t alone; initial reports suggest that the San Francisco Giants, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are all willing to spend for the star.

Before agents and new contracts take over, however, Judge still has 14 games remaining in the regular season, an opportunity to emphatically cement his legacy in the record books. A playoff run with the Yankees will follow, at which point his personal achievements will only matter as much as his ability to lead his team to a championship.