Aaron Judge is rapidly closing in on a major milestone as he chases Yankee home runs, moving closer to matching legendary Alex Rodriguez’s 345 career homers in his first ten MLB seasons. On Monday night in Cincinnati, Judge hit his 343rd home run, advancing past Hank Aaron to seventh place on the all-time list for home runs within a player’s first decade in the major leagues.
Judge’s pursuit of this historic number puts him just two homers shy of Rodriguez, a familiar figure to Yankees fans who swatted 345 home runs early in his career before finishing with 696 total. This breakthrough could come as soon as Tuesday night in Cincinnati, setting the stage for a landmark moment.
Where Judge Stands Among Baseball’s Elite Home Run Hitters
All the players ahead of Judge on this list are Hall of Famers or widely regarded as some of the sport’s greatest. Leading the pack is Albert Pujols with 408 home runs, followed by Eddie Mathews (370), Ralph Kiner (369), Adam Dunn (354), and Ken Griffey Jr. (350). Rodriguez sits in sixth place with 345 homers, just above Judge’s current tally.
Remarkably, Judge has achieved this despite setbacks that kept him off the field at times. While A-Rod played 1,275 games during his first ten seasons, Judge has battled through significant injuries in 2018, 2019, and the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. His resilience keeps him on track to surpass several notable sluggers if he maintains his health.
Judge’s Cliffhanger Chase Fueled by Stellar Recent Performance
This season, Judge has been on an offensive tear. Since the start of 2025, he is hitting an impressive .367/.468/.734 with 28 home runs and a 1.202 OPS, leading the league in batting average and OPS. His powerful and consistent performance underlines his ability to challenge the greats beyond just numbers.
His durability and remarkable statistics show that Judge is doing things even A-Rod did not accomplish during his time with the Yankees. Should he stay healthy, Judge is poised to climb higher, potentially breaking into the top five of this elite group by surpassing Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn. The 400-home-run mark could also become a realistic target for Judge in the near future.
More Than Just Historical Milestones: Judge’s Place in Yankees Lore
Judge’s chase is significant not only for the numbers but for what it represents for the New York Yankees franchise. He is not just pursuing the shadows of early Yankees legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig; he is now closing the gap on more recent icons, bridging generations of Bronx greats with his outstanding power-hitting.
The story unfolding in Cincinnati highlights Judge’s evolving legacy and builds anticipation over how far he can ascend among the game’s all-time great sluggers. With his steady focus and impressive stats, the baseball world watches closely as Aaron Judge chases Yankee home runs and makes his own mark in the franchise’s storied history.