Aaron Judge has Yankees fans going bonkers after first 2024 MLB playoffs home run

For a stretch during the regular season, Aaron Judge had entered flow state and looked poised to, once again, break the single-season AL home run record. Alas, Judge has cooled off significantly during that stretch; in fact, entering Game 2 of the New York Yankees‘ ALCS clash against the Cleveland Guardians, the 6’7″ slugger hasn’t yet hit a home run in this year’s playoffs. But with one swing of the bat on Tuesday night, Judge has finally risen.

With the Yankees holding a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, Judge came to the plate and promptly worked a 1-1 count against Hunter Gaddis with one runner on base and one out. The Guardians reliever tried to challenge Judge with a 95-mph fastball towards the top of the strike zone, but the Yankees slugger launched it above the center-field wall to double their advantage.

Judge, prior to tonight’s ballgame, has been hitting .133 with an OPS of .564 — a steep downfall from his usual level. It’s his incredible ability to get on base that has kept him valuable for a Yankees lineup that has done enough to this point of the postseason to get by. But now that Judge has woken up from his slumber, fans are hyped up for what it means for the Yankees’ potential World Series run.

“HE DID IT HE FINALLY DID IT AARON JUDGE FINALLY GETS A HOMER,” X user @AtlasPharaoh wrote.

“Everybody Gansta Until Aaron Judge starts hitting home runs in October,” @404raheem added.

“All rise for the honorable Aaron Judge. The playoffs are now in session!!!” @ImYourHostVick3 exclaimed.

Judge only needs to see one ball leave the yard for him to enter a hot streak. Perhaps this is the start of another heater from him at the plate, and it could not have come at a better time for the Yankees.

Aaron Judge makes history for the Yankees

Aaron Judge, ever since becoming an everyday player for the Yankees in 2017, has been their heaviest hitter — someone the team relies on to create the bulk of the team’s run production. Hitting in the playoffs, however, hasn’t exactly come easy to Judge.

Judge had a nightmare 2022 playoff run even after setting the record for most home runs in a single season in AL history. He had a ghastly OPS of .490 in nine playoff games two years ago (38 plate appearances), and it appeared as though he was on track for an encore with the way he has hit the ball thus far in the 2024 postseason.

But perhaps this home run jolts Judge wide awake as the Yankees look to win their first World Series title in 15 years. In fact, as pointed out by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Judge, with his latest home run against the Guardians, now has the fifth-most home runs in playoff franchise history with 14.

Judge is only trailing the likes of Babe Ruth (15), Mickey Mantle (18), Derek Jeter (20), and Bernie Williams (22) on the all-time Yankees playoff home-run ladder. If that is not an exclusive club, then nothing is.