Aaron Judge Chases Hall of Famer, On Pace to Break AL HR Record in 2026

Aaron Judge Is the First Player in MLB to Hit 15 Home Runs This Season

Aaron Judge has 15 home runs in 37 games — the fastest he has ever reached that mark, and the quickest any Yankee has done it since Alex Rodriguez in 31 games in 2007. He is the first player in Major League Baseball to reach 15 homers this season. That is not a hot streak. That is a record-pace assault on the history books.

The three-time MVP is doing this while leading New York to the best record in the AL East. Every at-bat in Milwaukee this weekend carries weight — one more home run ties a Hall of Famer and puts Judge on a trajectory that would rewrite his own place in baseball history.

One Homer Away From Tying Hall of Famer Harold Baines

Judge sits at 383 career home runs. One more ties Harold Baines at 384 — good for 69th on MLB's all-time list. Baines, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019, spent 22 seasons in the majors and finished with 2,866 hits and a .289 career average. He was one of the most durable designated hitters in the game's history.

Judge gets his next shot starting Friday night when the Yankees open a series against the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin. The milestone is within reach before the weekend is over.

On Pace for 66 Home Runs — Four More Than His Own AL Record

At his current rate, Judge is projected to hit 66 home runs in 2026. That would surpass his own American League record of 62, set in 2022, by four. The AL record has belonged to Judge for four years. He is now threatening to make it untouchable.

His full 2026 line through 38 games: .270 batting average, 37 hits, 15 home runs, 29 RBIs, 34 runs scored, and 5 stolen bases, with a 1.043 OPS. Over his last seven games, he is hitting .375 with 4 home runs, 9 RBIs, and a .917 slugging percentage. The power is not cooling off.

In his most recent series against Texas, Judge went 5-for-12 with 2 home runs and 2 RBIs across three games, including a solo shot on May 6. There is no visible slump on the horizon.

Yankees Lead AL East at 26-12, Heading Into Milwaukee

New York enters the Brewers series with a 26-12 record — the best in the American League East. They are 12-6 on the road. The Yankees just took two of three from the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium, and they carry that momentum into Wisconsin.

Milwaukee is a different challenge. The Brewers are 19-16, sitting fourth in the NL Central, and are 10-8 at home through 35 games. They are not a pushover on their own turf.

The One Thing Missing From a Hall of Fame Resume

Judge is a three-time MVP. He holds the AL single-season home run record. He is building a case as the best player in Yankees history since Derek Jeter. The Hall of Fame argument is not a debate — it is a formality.

But the ring is not there. New York reached the World Series in 2024 and lost. Last season, they were eliminated in the ALDS. For all the individual hardware Judge has accumulated, the franchise has not won a championship since 2009. That drought now sits at roughly 17 years — among the longest in Yankees history.

A 66-homer season would be historic. A 26-12 record in May is promising. Neither means anything to a Yankees team — or a Yankees star — until October delivers something different. Judge is rewriting the record books. The championship column remains blank.