New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has finally done it.
During the second game of a double-header against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, Judge lead off the game with hopes of ending his five game home run drought and breaking Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs in a season.
On the third pitch of the game, Judge made history. He took a hanging slider from Rangers opener Jesus Tinoco deep to left field for the historic #62 of the season.
ALL RISE FOR 6️⃣2️⃣
Aaron Judge is the AL single-season home run king ?
(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/tkRyIst6d8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 5, 2022
After achieving the landmark home run, bettors (who have been hammering Judge to hit hit 62nd home run all week long) rejoiced in the feat.
Judge finally getting 62 after making Roger Maris Jr. follow the Yankees around for a month
— BetMGM ? (@BetMGM) October 5, 2022
THE JINX WORKED. CASH THOSE JUDGE TICKETS EVERYONE #ThanksBigCat https://t.co/Bh67DawjfL
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) October 5, 2022
HE DID IT!!!! AARON JUDGE!!!!!! THE HOME RUN KING OF NEW YORK! THE BEST SEASON IN YANKEES HISTORY. I LOVE YOU ALL. pic.twitter.com/3szzkBLOvV
— Jimmy Randazzo (@JimmyRandazzo) October 5, 2022
NUMBER. 62. pic.twitter.com/mIa835qmK6
— Trent Attyah (@BookitWithTrent) October 5, 2022
Maybe I know something ? pic.twitter.com/RfIud6ptSZ
— Andrew Taylor (@AJT_17) October 4, 2022
Finally we cashed that bitch !! Judge HR #62
Prop bet +200 ✅— CT Thorn (@chevyguyCT) October 5, 2022
? JUDGE HIT #62
? HAD TO BET ON #62 HR
✅ JUDGE HR
✅ 1 RUN
? COLE NEEDS 6 SO pic.twitter.com/NEntPfMfbJ— FEAR_AKIN KNOWS (@FEAR_Akin) October 5, 2022
Everyone cashing out tonight ?
99% of bets and 99% of the handle at https://t.co/gtFBhqQFdO were backing Aaron Judge to hit a home run tonight (+230)pic.twitter.com/qrjHDVALdT
— BetRivers Sportsbook (@BetRivers) October 5, 2022
Coming into the game on Tuesday night, DraftKings set the odds on Judge to hit a home run at +200, with many bettors reveling in the chance for a historic value play.
After Judge broke Maris’ record, the former AL home run king’s son, Roger Maris Jr. (who had been traveling with the team for a while) took to Twitter to deem Judge the “clean” home run king.
“Congratulations to Aaron Judge and his family on Aaron’s historic home run number 62! It has definitely been a baseball season to remember. You are all class and someone who should be revered. For the MAJORITY of the fans, we can now celebrate a new CLEAN HOME RUN KING!!,” Maris Jr. wrote on Twitter.
Of course, what Maris Jr. is referring to is the fact that every National League player who has hit over 61 home runs in a season (Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa) tested positive for PEDs during the steroid era.
Now, there is no controversy involved. Someone has finally passed Maris without the help of steroids or any other performance enhancing drug.
Judge will now set his sights on trying to finish his dream season with a World Series Championship for the Yankees.
