#ThisDayThatYear: Aaron Judge sets rookie home run record in 2017
On this day in 2017, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge set the Major League Baseball (MLB) record for the most home runs by a rookie in a single season. He recorded 52 homers overall. Judge smashed his 50th homer of the season during the Yankees' 11-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Here we look back on Judge's perrorn
Judge's double homer seals victory for the Yankees
On September 25, 2017, Judge hit his 50th and 51st home runs, surpassing Mark McGwire's long-standing record set by a rookie. McGwire had smashed 49 homers in the 1987 season playing for the Oakland Athletics. Judge's two homers came during the third and seventh innings respectively. He recorded two runs, two hits, and three RBIs in four at-bats during the game.
Yankees overcame Royals
As mentioned, the New York Yankees triumphed over the Kansas City Royals (11-3). While Judge's two home runs contributed significantly to the team's success, Garey Sanchez's homer in the seventh and Greg Bird's homer in the sixth added a boost to the Yankees' win. In the pitching area, CC Sabathia managed three ER with three runs and six hits in six innings pitched.
Judge and Yankees' 2017 season stats
In his 2017 rookie season, Judge hit .284 with 154 hits, 52 home runs, 114 RBIs, and scored 128 runs in 155 games. He also won the Rookie of the Year award and his first Silver Slugger Award too. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees went 91-71 in 2017, finishing 2nd in the AL East. They lost the ALCS to the Houston Astros, 4-3.
