How Aaron Judge broke Roger Maris' home run record: Yankees slugger launches 62nd homer vs. Rangers

Tom Gatto

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How Aaron Judge broke Roger Maris' home run record: Yankees slugger launches 62nd homer vs. Rangers image

Aaron Judge made home run history Tuesday in the final series of the Yankees' 2022 MLB regular season.

Judge belted his 62nd home run of the year at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers. He broke Roger Maris' American League (and, for the first 40 years of it, major league) single-season record of 61.

The historic blast came on a 1-1 count when Judge connected on an 88-mph slider from Jesus Tinoco, sending a 391-foot shot to left field against the Texas Rangers in the top of the first inning during the second game of a doubleheader. The crowd saluted Judge as he made his way around the bases and back to the Yankees' dugout.

Judge tied Maris on Sept. 28 with a go-ahead home run against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Judge's family and Maris' son Roger Jr. were on hand to witness the moment.

MORE: Roger Maris Jr. says Judge is true home run king | Why Maris' 60th homer caused controversy

MLB all-time single-season home run list

Here's where Judge's home run total currently stands in MLB history: 

Year Player Team HRs
2001 Barry Bonds Giants 73
1998 Mark McGwire Cardinals 70
1998 Sammy Sosa Cubs 66
1999 Mark McGwire Cardinals 65
2001 Sammy Sosa Cubs 64
1999 Sammy Sosa Cubs 63
2022 Aaron Judge Yankees 62
1961 Roger Maris Yankees 61
1927 Babe Ruth Yankees 60

Tom Gatto

Tom Gatto Photo

Tom Gatto joined The Sporting News as a senior editor in 2000 after 12 years at The Herald-News in Passaic, N.J., where he served in a variety of roles including sports editor, and a brief spell at APBNews.com in New York, where he worked as a syndication editor. He is a 1986 graduate of the University of South Carolina.