With a solo home run off Justin Verlander in the fifth inning of Friday night’s game against the Houston Astros, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees became the player to reach 250 home runs in the major leagues the fastest.
Judge reached the feat in his 810th career game, beating Philadelphia outfielder Ryan Howard, who accomplished it in his 855th game in 2010.
Judge increased New York’s advantage to 6-2 by hitting the first pitch he saw in the top of the left-field seats to start the fifth inning. As he approached the dugout after rounding the bases, many of Judge’s teammates gave him high fives.
Judge, who had a toe injury and was unable to play for nearly two months, hit his 30th home run of the year. The 2022 AL MVP broke Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 61 hits in the American League by hitting 62 last season.