Inside The Pinstripes

Aaron Judge Closing in on Legend on Yankees' Postseason Home Run List

With his first home run of the 2024 playoffs on Tuesday, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is approaching an all-time great in his franchise's career postseason home run list.

Grant Young

Oct 15, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs the base after hitting a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 15, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) runs the base after hitting a two run home run during the seventh inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game two of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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With their 6-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, the New York Yankees have taken a commanding 2-0 lead in the 2024 ALCS.

The Yankees scored their first four runs during Tuesday's game without hitting any home runs. But that changed when New York's captain and 2024 AL MVP favorite Aaron Judge sent a 1-1 fastball in the bottom of the seventh inning over the center field bleachers for a two-run blast.

This majestic shot from No. 99 was noteworthy for multiple reasons. Not only was it the first home run of Judge's 2024 playoff campaign, but it also marked the 14th postseason home run of his MLB career.

Therefore, Judge has now broken his tie with teammate Giancarlo Stanton (who tied him on Monday night) for 6th all-time on the Yankees' postseason home run list.

The superstar slugger is now one home run behind MLB legend Babe Ruth for the No. 4 spot and four blasts away from Mickey Mantle's 18 career postseason homers.

Despite Judge having made history on Tuesday, he seemed more relieved to break his homer-less streak when asked about it after the game.

"Just excited it went out," Judge said when asked about his emotions running the bases after the home run, per SNY. "You never know in these windy, chilly nights what that ball is going to do when you hit it to center here. But the ghosts were pulling out there to Monument Park, that's for sure."

If this home run kick starts a power surge from Judge throughout the rest of this postseason, Yankees fans could see him not only surpass Ruth but perhaps reach Mantle's 18 home runs. It would also help New York win a World Series trophy, which both Judge and Yankees would fans care about more.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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