In the hallowed annals of New York Yankees history, few names resonate as deeply as Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, and now, Aaron Judge. The 6-foot-7 slugger, a modern-day colossus in pinstripes, is rewriting the franchise’s home run record books with a ferocity that demands attention. On a crisp Sunday afternoon, Judge’s 43rd home run of the 2025 season—a towering blast off Chicago White Sox starter Martín Pérez—did more than just tie him with Yankees legend Yogi Berra at 358 career homers for fifth on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard. It sent a resounding message: Aaron Judge is not just chasing history; he’s claiming it.
Since his explosive 52-homer debut in 2017, Judge has been a force of nature, culminating in his record-shattering 62-home run campaign in 2022, which set a new American League standard. Now, with his latest long ball, he’s knocking on the door of another icon, Joe DiMaggio, whose 361 career homers sit just three ahead in fourth place. For Judge, a lifelong student of Yankee lore, sharing space with Berra—a catcher whose grit and heart defined the pinstripes—is a humbling milestone.
“Yogi played the game with such passion, and what it meant to wear this jersey was everything to him,” Judge reflected, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “I feel that same pride. It’s an honor to be on this list.”
But even as Judge’s bat carves his name deeper into Yankees history, Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the last-place White Sox served as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. A near-miss second homer, denied by mere inches, snapped New York’s seven-game winning streak. Yet, Judge and the Yankees have little time to dwell. A high-stakes showdown with the Houston Astros looms on Tuesday, a clash that could set the tone for the postseason push.
With the Yankees trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by three games in the American League East race as of Monday, every swing matters. Judge, ever the competitor, relishes the moment. “It’s crunch time,” he told Hoch. “We want to face the best, especially now, heading into the playoffs. This is where we find out what we’re made of.”
If Judge can surpass DiMaggio’s mark in the coming days—perhaps as early as this week against Houston—it would be more than a personal triumph. It could ignite the Yankees’ pursuit of the AL East crown, a spark to rally a team and a city. Aaron Judge isn’t just hitting home runs; he’s swinging for immortality, one chilling, history-altering blast at a time.