Aaron Judge Home Run Record Tracker: How to Watch As He Chases Roger Maris’s 61

The Yankees slugger is two home runs away from tying the American League record of 61 homers in a season, set in 1961.

Author:
Claire Kuwana
Updated:
Sep 18, 2022
Original:
Sep 1, 2022

In this story:

New York Yankees

Aaron Judge hit his 58th and 59th home runs of the season against the Brewers on Sunday, putting him only two away from the American League single-season record set by Roger Maris with the Yankees in 1961. The hit comes five days after he also slammed two home runs in one game against the Red Sox.

There have been only eight 60-homer seasons in MLB history. In 2001, Barry Bonds set the single-season record with 73 dingers, just three years after Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire became the first player ever to hit 62 in a season; he finished the 1998 season with 70. That year, Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa also passed Maris and finished with 66, the first of his record three seasons with at least 60 home runs. (Sosa hit 63 in ’99 and 64 in 2001.) McGwire is the only other player with multiple 60-homer seasons. He followed up his 70 in 1998 with 65 in ’99. Bonds, McGwire and Sosa all were later implicated for using performance-enhancing drugs during the years they hit 60. (In 2012, McGwire admitted his steroid use. Bonds and Sosa still deny that they took PEDs, but there is strong evidence that indicates they did.) Thus, Maris in ’61 and Babe Ruth, who went yard 60 times with the ’27 Yankees, are the only two “clean” players with 60-home run seasons.

Sports Illustrated will be tracking Judge’s home run count each day during the rest of the season and providing other relevant updates as he chases Maris’s 61-year-old record of 61 home runs, set in 1961.

Current home run count: 59
Current pace: 65
Games left: 16

What’s next

The Yankees finished up their two-game set against the Red Sox on Wednesday night before traveling to Milwaukee to face the Brewers for a three-game series.

Next, they will host the Pirates for a two-game series at home.

What’s left on the schedule

All times ET. Watch Aaron Judge and the Yankees live with fuboTV.

Three-game away series against the Milwaukee Brewers

Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2:10 p.m.

TV coverage: YES

Two-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates

Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:05 p.m.

TV coverage: YES

Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 7:05 p.m.

TV coverage: YES

Four-game home series against the Boston Red Sox

Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7:15 p.m.

TV coverage: Fox

Friday, Sept. 23 at 7:05 p.m.

TV coverage: Apple TV+

Saturday, Sept. 24 at 1:05 p.m.