Aaron Judge hits 56th and 57th home runs of 2022

BOSTON — Aaron Judge now stands just four big swings away from equaling Roger Maris’ 61-year-old American League record for home runs in a single season, belting his Major League-leading 56th and 57th home runs on Tuesday evening at Fenway Park.

Judge connected for solo shots in the sixth and eighth innings, tying the game both times. No. 56 came on a hanging Nick Pivetta curveball that landed in Boston’s bullpen. It came off Judge’s bat at 109.7 mph and traveled 383 feet, as calculated by Statcast.

Then in the eighth, Judge was at it again, sending a Garrett Whitlock slider over the Green Monster in left field for No. 57. That one came off Judge’s bat at 100.5 mph, traveling 389 feet.

It marked Judge’s 10th multi-homer game of the season; Hank Greenberg holds the American League record with 11, set in 1938. Alex Rodriguez (2002) and Jimmie Foxx (1938) also had 10.

Judge had not homered in five games, though he had reached base in 13 of 24 plate appearances entering play on Tuesday, remaining on pace to hit 65 home runs this season.

His 57 home runs are the fourth-most ever hit by a Yankee in a single season. Maris hit 61 in 1961, while Babe Ruth hit 60 in 1927 and 59 in 1921. Judge’s 57 homers are the most ever hit by a Yankees right-handed batter, having surpassed Alex Rodriguez’s 54 homers in 2007.

Most HR in a season, MLB history — with totals through 142 team games:
2001 Barry Bonds: 73 — 60
1998 Mark McGwire: 70 — 59
1998 Sammy Sosa: 66 — 58
2022 Aaron Judge: 65 (current pace) — 57
1999 Mark McGwire: 65 — 55
2001 Sammy Sosa: 64 — 54
1999 Sammy Sosa: 63 — 59
1961 Roger Maris: 61 — 55
1927 Babe Ruth: 60 — 52