JUST IN:With his 34th home run, Aaron Judge breaks the Yankees record

Although it was a very insignificant record, Aaron Judge broke it again.

Understandably, he attempted to divert attention to the New York Yankees’ recent significant victory.

On Saturday, Judge hit his 34th home run prior to the All-Star break, setting a franchise record. In 1961, Roger Maris finished with a major league record of 61, hitting 33 before the break. Prior to the 2022 All-Star break, Judge also hit 33. He then went on to hit 62, shattering Maris’s record for the most hits in an American League full season.

Judge’s motivation The Yankees’ 6-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday brought them within percentage points of the Orioles atop the AL East. When asked what he would have thought during spring training if he had known he would have 34 home runs before the break, Judge responded.

“Hopefully those 34 homers came in a lot of wins,” the official remarked. “That’s what it’s all about.”

After winning the first two games of this series at Camden Yards, the Yankees (58-39) ended Baltimore’s 22-game winning run against AL East opponents (16-0-6) with a victory. The victor of Sunday’s game will lead the division heading into the All-Star break, and the Orioles (57-38) will look to prevent a sweep.

In the fifth inning, Judge and Juan Soto each blasted back-to-back home runs to center field. The Yankees led 5-1 after a 426-foot drive by Soto, and Judge responded with a massive 431-foot solo shot.

The series opener at Baltimore on Friday night saw Judge reach base each of his five at-bats. He reached base three times on Saturday, walking, hitting a double, and hitting a home run.

For Judge, who was hitting less than.200 in the beginning of May, it was a difficult beginning to the season.

“That kind of thing happens. Judge stated, “You can’t worry about that, can’t worry about getting booed.” The only thing that truly mattered to me was that we were winning baseball games. I have five hundred and sixty at-bats to work it out. We’re setting ourselves up for success ahead of the All-Star break.”

Judge hit 11 home runs in June after hitting 14 in May.

Barry Bonds set a major league record in 2001 with 39 home runs before the All-Star break. With 73 that year, he went on to set the big league record.