Aaron Judge begins the season with a remarkable performance: The Yankees' power hitter joins the ranks of Hall of Fame legends as he maintains an impressive pace.

Tom Horak-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his first home run since April 4, breaking a 10-game stretch without a homer and providing the decisive run in a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals. This performance was part of an outstanding evening for Judge, who finished the game with three hits, including a home run, a double, and a walk. The mention of a "homer-less streak" might suggest that the reigning American League MVP has had a sluggish start to the 2025 season, but that would be a significant misrepresentation. Judge has now recorded seven home runs this season, placing him second to Tyler Soderstrom's eight, and boasts an impressive slash line of .409/.519/.803. Although he has only made 81 plate appearances this season, his production level is remarkable, even by his own high standards. In fact, it represents one of the best starts in baseball history.

When comparing his performance to legends like Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, and Jimmie Foxx, it is clear that Judge is excelling. Since the beginning of the 2022 season, he has been on an extraordinary offensive trajectory. Concerns about how he would perform in his thirties, given his imposing physical stature, have proven unfounded, as he has been better than ever since turning 30 in 2022. Prior to Wednesday's game, Judge had a slash line of .307/.435/.676 since the start of 2022. As evidenced by this game and the entirety of the 2025 season thus far, Judge shows no signs of slowing down.