Aaron Judge Jumps Into an Elite Pinstriped Home Run Club

On Thursday night, New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge became the latest member of an elite group in Major League Baseball history. In the top of the second inning, Judge hit his 42nd home run of the season, putting him in rarefied air with just two other players to have ever done so at this point in their first MLB seasons. Their names? Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio, both of whom went on to be hall-of-famers and legends in their sport.

Background Information: The History of the Yankees

The Yankees are the most successful team in Major League Baseball, having won 20 World Series titles. The team's history is marked by a number of firsts in professional sports, including the hiring of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox; being the first MLB team to install stadium lights; being the first MLB team to add numbers to player's uniforms, and much more.

Background Information: The Other Members

Mantle, Gehrig, DiMaggio. These three Yankees legends are the only members of a one-of-a-kind pinstriped home run club. And now, Aaron Judge is their newest member. On September 20th, 2017, the Big Apple's newest sports star blasted his 51st home run at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Background Information: How Did They Do It?

The Yankees are arguably the most storied franchise in all of baseball. They have 27 World Series championships, 40 American League Pennants, and a roster that has included some of the greatest players in history. Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, and Joe DiMaggio are just a few names that had long careers with New York before hanging up their cleats. But there's one thing that separates the Yankees from other teams: they've never had a player hit 60 home runs in a season.

Final Thoughts & Conclusions

The Yankees are rounding out the home-run totals for the entire league, and Aaron Judge has been a key player in this. The team is already halfway to their total from last year, and with the addition of Giancarlo Stanton, it seems like there is no stopping them. It's good to see Aaron being recognized as one of the best players in the game, but it's also nice to see him being able to join such a prestigious club.