Judge’s First-Inning Power Ties McGwire’s Historic Mark
Aaron Judge continues to etch his name in MLB history. The Yankees slugger hit his 11th first-inning home run of the season Monday night in Cincinnati, tying Mark McGwire’s record for the most through a team’s first 78 games.
The blast, reported by Baseball Reference’s Katie Sharp, matches McGwire’s incredible 2000 run with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he hit 32 total home runs before injuries shortened his season.
Aaron Judge’s Historic First-Inning Resume
This isn’t the first time Aaron Judge has made headlines for his fast starts. In 2024, he tied Alex Rodriguez’s all-time single-season record of 18 first-inning home runs, a record A-Rod set in 2001. That same year, McGwire hit 17.
McGwire remains ninth all-time with 98 career first-inning homers. However, Aaron Judge is rising fast, currently sitting 24th all-time with 76. The record holder? Another Cardinals great, Albert Pujols, with a staggering 154.
Climbing All-Time Home Run Lists
Judge’s latest long ball also moves him up the leaderboard for most home runs in a player’s first 10 MLB seasons. Now at 343 career home runs, he passes several Hall of Famers and closes in on Pujols’ first-10-season record of 408.
As Aaron Judge and the Yankees head to St. Louis in August, fans will get to witness the Bronx Bomber chase more milestones. With the possibility of surpassing more legends in the process.
Read More: Yankees’ Aaron Judge Crushes 469-Foot Homer vs Royals, Nearly Clears Hall of Fame
