Aaron Judge chases home run record: Yankees slugger goes homer-less at Rangers, will try again Tuesday

Judge remains tied with Roger Maris for the American League single-season home run record

New York Yankees v Texas Rangers
Ron Jenkins / Getty Images

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge on Monday night went 1 for 4 in his team's 3-1 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington, but he failed to hit a home run. As such, he also remains tied with former Yankee Roger Maris, who hit 61 in 1961, for the all-time single-season American League home run record. Judge now has only one home run in his last 12 games.

For reference, here is the AL's single-season home run leaderboard:

  1. Aaron Judge, 2022 Yankees: 61 and counting
  2. Roger Maris, 1961 Yankees: 61
  3. Babe Ruth, 1927 Yankees: 60
  4. Babe Ruth, 1921 Yankees: 59
  5. Hank Greenberg, 1938 Tigers: 58
  6. Jimmie Foxx, 1932 Athletics: 58

Judge's lone hit was a check-swing infield single in the sixth, which allowed him to extend his on-base streak to 31 straight games – the longest on-base streak in the American League this season. 

As for Judge's Triple Crown bid, his average for the season is now .311. Judge came into Sunday trailing Luis Arreaz of the Twins, who came into Monday batting .315. Judge maintains comfortable leads in RBI and home runs. 

Judge presumably will get his next chance at No. 62 on Tuesday, when the Yankees and Rangers will play a doubleheader. After that comes the regular-season finale on Wednesday. 

Stealing at least some of Judge's thunder on Monday was Yankees right-hander starter Luis Severino. Severino, in just his third start back from a long stint on the injured list, authored one of the most dominant starts of his career: 

Severino faced the minimum through those seven innings and hit 99 mph with his final pitch of the night. Even though his no-hit bid was intact, Yankees manager Aaron Boone opted to go to the bullpen to start the eighth. Severino was at 94 pitches and – as noted – not far removed from the layoff, and the Yankees were in "stay healthy" mode leading up to the postseason. For those reasons, Boone made a choice that, if the dugout footage was any guide, did not please Severino. In that bottom of the eighth inning, reliever Miguel Castro swiftly allowed the Rangers' first hit and run of the game. 

The consolation for Severino is that he looked perhaps as dominant as he ever has leading up to the Yankees' appearance in the American League Division Series. Consider his spot in the playoff rotation to be solidified (and then some) after Monday's gem. 

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