ARLINGTON, Texas — Aaron Judge is the new Yankee — and American League — home run king.
Judge led off Game 2 of the Yankees’ split doubleheader Tuesday against the Rangers with his 62nd homer of the season, breaking Roger Maris’ 61-year-old record in a 3-2 loss.
And given the performance-enhancing-drug ties to everyone who’s hit more homers than Judge, many will consider him the legitimate home run champ.
The 391-foot blast came on a 1-1 pitch from right-hander Jesus Tinoco.
It also came in Game 161 for the Yankees.
Judge had gone five games without a home run since tying Maris’ mark and with time running out in the regular season.
But that changed just three pitches into Game 2, as Judge sent a slider into the left-field seats in front of a sold-out crowd of 38,832 at Globe Life Field.
Judge smiled broadly as he rounded the bases, with teammates spilling out of the dugout to greet him after he gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead.
“It was a big relief,’’ Judge said. “Everyone can finally sit down in their seats and watch a ballgame. It’s been a fun ride so far.”
He remained in the game and was serenaded with chants of “MVP” while in right field before the bottom of the first.
After striking out to end the top of the second, Judge took the field in right before being replaced by Oswaldo Cabrera, who had been at second base. Judge left the field to another ovation.
And for good measure, in the bottom of the inning, Gerrit Cole passed Ron Guidry with his 249th strikeout of the season, breaking Guidry’s franchise record set in 1978.
Judge now has the most home runs hit in a season since Barry Bonds set his tainted record of 73 homers in 2001 with the Giants. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa also finished with more home runs, but their marks are also blemished by ties to steroids.
Despite all that, Judge has said he considers Bonds to be the home run champ.
Judge has played in every game since Aug. 3, but it wasn’t until Tuesday night that he eclipsed Maris.
It came after Judge went homerless in the opener on Tuesday, a 5-4 Yankee win, when he showed some rare emotion after making an out.
He popped out to end the top of the fifth and slammed his helmet into the helmet rack, an unusual display of emotion from the even-keeled slugger.
Asked if he felt more pressure as the number of games left dwindled, Judge said, “Not really.”
But he acknowledged, “The game started going a little faster. I can’t lie, the past couple games, I’d look up and it was the seventh inning and I’d say, ‘Damn, I’ve only got one more at-bat. We’ve got to figure this out.’ ”
Through it all, Judge said he was never concerned with his own numbers.
But lately, he’d been in a rough stretch.
Heading into the nightcap, Judge was 7-for-35 with a double, a homer, 17 walks and 14 strikeouts in a dozen games since tying Babe Ruth’s former home run record of 60.
Everything to know about Aaron Judge and his chase for the home run record:
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- Listen to Michael Kay and John Sterling call Aaron Judge’s 62nd home run
- Aaron Judge’s parents celebrate his historic 62nd home run
- All of Aaron Judge’s home runs this season
Manager Aaron Boone said Judge had fouled some balls off that he would normally drill.
The anticipation was never more obvious than in the first game on Tuesday, when Kyle Higashioka drew a two-out walk in the ninth to get Judge to the plate one more time.
It led to the loudest roars of the day until Judge’s record-breaking homer.
“I think that might have been the best ovation I’ve ever had,’’ Higashioka said. “It shows how much fans want it for him and how excited they are for one extra chance.”
Judge grounded out in that at-bat, but got it done in his first at-bat of the nightcap.
“I think it was weighing on him,’’ Boone said of the chase. “Not heavily, but he was carrying it around every day and [dealing with] the madness. I’m certainly glad he got it done and got himself a day off [Wednesday].”
Judge said he might try to talk his way into the lineup for the regular-season finale.
Regardless, he managed to chase down history with time to spare.
