Aaron Judge Ends Career-Long Home Run Drought with Grand Slam vs. Red Sox

On Friday night, Aaron Judge ended a lengthy home run drought in spectacular fashion. The New York Yankees’ star hit a seventh-inning grand slam against the Boston Red Sox, transforming a 4-1 deficit into a thrilling 5-4 lead for the Yankees. This marked Judge’s first home run since he hit two against the Colorado Rockies on August 25.

Judge’s grand slam was a critical moment in the game, electrifying the crowd and reaffirming his status as one of the league’s top sluggers. Coming into this game, he had gone 16 games without a home run, setting a new personal record for the longest drought of his career. Previously, he had a 15-game homerless stretch during his rookie year in 2017.

During the span of these 16 games, Judge managed a batting average of .207, with 12 hits in 58 at-bats, including three doubles. The drought had certainly been a challenging phase for him. However, Judge maintained a positive mindset throughout, stating that he was feeling fine despite the lack of home runs. “It’s just baseball,” he mentioned in a conversation with the New York Post following the last game prior to his grand slam. “I’m feeling fine and the results will be there.”

This grand slam was significant not only because it ended his drought but also because it nudged his season home run total to a league-leading 52. With just a few games left in the season, Judge is currently on track to hit around 57 home runs, a noteworthy achievement that keeps him in the conversation for breaking 60 homers for the season.

Aaron Judge, now 32, has a celebrated history of hitting home runs in clusters. Before this 16-game drought, he had blasted 10 home runs in just 13 games. Given his track record, a resurgence in the coming days could see him approach the 60-homer mark again.

As the Yankees look to close out the season strong, Judge’s performance has become all the more vital. He has maintained an impressive slash line of .319/.453/.683, leading the league in on-base percentage by 35 points and in slugging percentage by 66 points. Judge excels not only in home runs but also in several other offensive metrics, establishing himself as one of the top players in Major League Baseball.

With the playoffs approaching, Judge’s contributions will be essential for the Yankees. Fans will watch closely to see if this grand slam signals the start of another impressive run as he aims to surpass his previous season highs. The excitement in the stadium was palpable, and fans are eager to see what else Judge will bring to the diamond in the remaining games of the season.