Judge crushes 62nd home run to break Maris' AL single-season record
Aaron Judge had gone 23 plate appearances without a home run but ended that run on Tuesday with a historic blast against the Texas Rangers.
Aaron Judge is the home run king after blasting his 62nd homer to surpass Roger Maris' long-standing mark for the American League's (AL) single-season record.
The New York Yankees outfielder crushed the historic homer into left field in the first inning of Tuesday's game on the road against the Texas Rangers, their penultimate regular-season game.
Judge had matched Maris' 61-homer AL and Yankees record last Wednesday with a blast against the Toronto Blue Jays.
However, the Yankee had endured 23 plate appearances or five games since without a home run but he broke the drought early from Rangers pitcher Jesus Tinoco.
Maris' record had stood since 1961, edging Babe Ruth's previous record of 60 in 1927.
Only three players have scored more homers in a single season for any franchise than Judge; Barry Bonds (73 in 2001), Mark McGwire (70 in 1999 and 65 in 1999) and Sammy Sosa (66 in 1998, 64 in 2001, 63 in 1999). Those three players all achieved the feat during the steroid era.