Aaron Judge Returns From Injury With 2-Homer Explosion, Ignites Yankees’ Comeback Win

NEW YORK — Aaron Judge’s torrid first half has shifted from impressive to historic, and search traffic is surging as fans ask the same question: how high can the Yankees’ captain climb in 2025? Judge launched his 29th home run Friday night, a 110.2-mph rocket that traveled 469 feet in Kansas City, the longest blast of his season so far. That shot keeps the 32-year-old on pace for 63 homers, which would break his own American League record of 62 set in 2022 and cement another MVP campaign. Dominating Every Leaderboard • Slash line through June 29: .361/.461/.719 • MLB-best OPS: 1.180 • Major-league lead in hits (108), extra-base hits (49) and total bases (215) • Second in home runs (29), trailing only Seattle’s Cal Raleigh (32) Fan Vote Royalty Phase 1 of All-Star balloting closed this week with Judge drawing 4,012,983 votes—more than any player in either league—and automatically locking up a starting berth for the July 15 Midsummer Classic at Truist Park in Atlanta. It’s his seventh career selection and second straight season as the overall vote leader. MVP Race Heating Up According to ESPN’s mid-season awards straw poll, Judge is the front-runner for his third MVP, but Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh is gaining ground thanks to a power surge of his own. Still, advanced metrics favor Judge: his 8.1 fWAR is the highest by any player before July since Barry Bonds in 2004. Impact on the Yankees New York (52-28) sits atop the AL East by 5½ games, fueled by Judge’s .350 average with runners in scoring position and a league-leading 21 go-ahead RBIs. Manager Aaron Boone calls him “a one-man momentum swing,” while newcomer Cody Bellinger credits the captain’s “quiet leadership” for the lineup’s discipline. Historic Milestones in Sight • 300th career home run (needs 7) • 1,000th career RBI (needs 34) • First player ever with multiple 60-homer seasons What’s Next The Yankees return to the Bronx Monday for a six-game homestand against Boston and Baltimore—two pitching staffs Judge has already tagged for a combined seven homers this year. With steamy summer air boosting carry at Yankee Stadium, record-watch could arrive sooner than expected. How to Watch & Follow • YES Network and MLB.TV stream every Yankees game. • All-Star Game voting Phase 2 opens July 2 on MLB.com. • Real-time Statcast data for each Judge plate appearance is free on Baseball Savant. Bottom Line Whether you’re tracking fantasy stats, chasing memorabilia, or just hoping to see another tape-measure moonshot, Aaron Judge remains the story of the 2025 season. Keep refreshing those highlight feeds—baseball’s biggest bat is nowhere near finished.