Aaron Judge making MLB history since early May: By the numbers

Aaron Judge got off to such a slow start to the 2024 MLB season that there was concern about whether the New York Yankees captain would regain his MVP form.

Turns out, there was no need to worry. Not only is Judge back to his usual superstar self, he has been playing the best baseball of his decorated career. That’s no small feat for a player who already owns the American League home run record and an MVP award. His production over the past five-plus weeks has vaulted him back to the top of the AL MVP race, this time alongside his own teammate in Juan Soto.

Judge continued his incredible hot streak during a massive series this past weekend against the Dodgers while Soto was sidelined with a forearm injury. Judge crushed three more home runs, including one in the Yankees’ 6-4 win Sunday, to pull further ahead in the MLB lead with 24 on the season.

But just how good has Judge been over the past month and change? The FOX Sports Research team crunched the most notable numbers.

.412: Since May 2nd, Judge (.412) is the only player in baseball hitting .400 or better with a minimum of 50 at-bats 

.700: Judge is currently slugging .702. The last player to slug .700 or better was Barry Bonds in 2004 (.812). The last occurrence in the American League was Mark McGwire in 1996 (.730).

.994: Judge’s .994 career OPS is the highest among all active players, as he recently surpassed Mike Trout (.991)

1.553: Aaron Judge has compiled a 1.553 OPS over his past 32 games. That is the highest mark over a 32-game stretch since Barry Bonds in 2004 and the highest by a Yankee since Babe Ruth in 1924.

2: If Judge finishes 2024 with a wRC+ of 200 or better — he’s currently at 214 — it would be his second season eclipsing the 200 threshold. That would give him more such campaigns than all other AL players combined since 1958 (Frank Thomas’ 205 wRC+ in 1994 is the only 200-plus season during this span).

3: Judge joined Chick Hafey and Joe DiMaggio as the only players to accumulate 31 or more extra-base hits over a 30-game span.

3.2135: Aaron Judge has hit a home run every 3.2135 games over his career. That is the fewest games per home run in a career in MLB history. He narrowly edges out Mark McGwire (3.2144) and Babe Ruth (3.5056).

5: Aaron Judge’s 214 wRC+ puts him on pace to become just the fifth AL player since 1901 (start of the AL) to post multiple seasons of 200 wRC+ or better, joining Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Ty Cobb.

9: Aaron Judge has hit nine home runs in the first inning this season. That is more than 15 teams have hit in the first inning and as many as he had in the first inning all of last season.

11: As of Monday, Judge is the major-league leader across 10 major categories, including WAR (bWAR 5.0; fWAR 4.9), OBP (.436), SLG (.703), OPS (1.139), total bases (168), home runs (24), extra-base hits (46), times on base (130), runs created (74), wRC+ (214) and OPS+ (217).

12: As of Monday, Judge is projected to accrue 12 bWAR for the 2024 season. If that held up, he would join Babe Ruth as the only Yankees to post a bWAR of 12 or higher for a season. He would also be just the fourth position player in MLB history to reach 12 bWAR in a season and first since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967 (12.5).

14: Since May 2nd, Judge has 14 games with multiple RBIs, the most in the majors over that span

18: His 18 homers since May 2nd are more than 26 other MLB outfields, and double four team’s outfields (Rangers, Mets, Brewers and Rockies)

19: The Yankees are 19-3 this season when Judge hits at least one homer 

58: Judge, who owns the AL record with 62 homers in a season, is currently on pace for 58 homers this year. Only Babe Ruth has multiple 58-homer seasons in AL history. Only Ruth, McGwire and Sammy Sosa have twice reached that figure in MLB history.

67: Judge is the first American League player since Frank Thomas in 1994 to amass at least 24 homers and 50 walks within a team’s first 67 games.

114: Judge has five home runs this season with an exit velocity of 114 mph or higher, the most in the majors and more than 15 other teams combined.

120: Judge has been an on-base machine, accumulating 120 total bases since May 2nd, 33 more than any other player over that span. To put that in perspective, José Ramírez, who is second with 87 total bases, could have back-to-back four-homer games and would still be one base behind Judge.

200: Aaron Judge has a 200 OPS+ since 2022 (his age 30-32 seasons). The only player with a higher OPS+ through those seasons is Babe Ruth, who had an OPS+ of 203.

214: His wRC+ is currently at 214, the sixth-highest since World War II behind only 2002 Bonds (244), 2001 Bonds (235), 2004 Bonds (233), 1957 Ted Williams (223) and 1957 Mickey Mantle (217).

281: Judge hit his 281st career home run Sunday, which is the most through any player’s first 1,000 games in their career. Judge has played only 902 games.

460: The longest home runs hit this season were by Mike Trout and Aaron Judge (473 feet). Judge, however, is the only player to have hit three home runs 460 feet or farther.

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