KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Aaron Judge only caught a brief glimpse of his tremendous home run to ensure it went beyond the confines of Kauffman Stadium.
Yankees’ manager, Aaron Boone, ensured he was in the perfect vantage point to witness its landing.
The ball came down 469 feet from the plate, settling on the roof of the Royals Hall of Fame in left field. As the third-longest homer in the major leagues so far this season, Judge’s mighty swing helped propel New York to a commanding 10-2 victory over Kansas City on Tuesday night.
“I made sure to jump up and get a good vantage point to really watch it,” Boone remarked afterward, sporting a grin. “I mean, I was in control. Poised. I was in the right spot to truly see it. It disappeared in an instant.”
Off the pitch from Royals’ Noah Cameron, the home run had an imposing exit velocity of 117.9 mph, tying it for the third-highest in major leagues this season. The Angels’ Mike Trout currently holds the record with a staggering 484-foot homer against the Giants on April 19, while his teammate Logan O’Hoppe achieved a 470-foot shot against the A’s on May 27.
Earlier in the season, on March 29, Judge hit a 468-foot home run against the Brewers and, over his career, has launched 12 home runs traveling at least 465 feet.
When asked if he paused to admire his monumental hit, Judge humbly replied, “Just glad to get the two runs. There’s no time. It’s onto the next. You do something, you enjoy it for a moment, and then you’re on to the next.”
This focused mindset is serving the two-time MVP well, as he also managed a bloop single in the sixth inning, marking the 50th time in 65 games that he’s reached base multiple times. The only other players in modern baseball history to match that feat are Yankees legends: Babe Ruth in 1923, 1924, and 1927, and Lou Gehrig in 1936.
Judge has hit 24 homers this season, half of which have put New York ahead in games.
“He just continues to impress. Watching him every day is a privilege,” stated Max Fried, who gave up two runs on six hits over seven innings on Tuesday night. “Seeing him daily and knowing him better, it’s not surprising at all.”
Against the Royals, Judge was 2-for-5, maintaining his league-leading average at .396, which is 30 points higher than second-place Jacob Wilson of the A’s. Judge also tops the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, and total bases.
“If he continues to improve from here, I wouldn’t be shocked,” Boone stated. “What’s amazing is that he’s playing well, not exceptionally, yet. I feel like he’s just playing well. Getting his hits, doing his thing. But honestly, I’m waiting for him to catch fire. That’s when it gets truly scary.
“He’s playing at an extraordinary level,” Boone continued with another smile. “He needs to be promoted.”