BALTIMORE — The last time the Yankees were at Camden Yards, Aaron Judge finished the series with a .197 batting average, a .725 OPS and six home runs in 33 games.
He enters Sunday’s game against the Orioles in his final game before the All-Star break with a .308 batting average, a 1.114 OPS and 34 home runs in 95 games.
Judge continued his strong season on Saturday with two hits in four at-bats, one walk, one double and a 431-foot home run to help the Yankees comfortably beat the Orioles 6-1.
Judge’s 34 home runs set a franchise record before the All-Star break, but through the team’s 97 games in the record-breaking 2022 season, Judge had hit 37 home runs.
“Hopefully those 34 home runs will translate into a lot of wins,” Judge said with a humble smile. “That’s what it’s all about. I don’t really care about our stats or individual stats. I’m just focused on winning.”
Manager Aaron Boone said that if someone had told him during spring training that Judge would hit at least 34 home runs by the All-Star break, it would have been “a big belief.”
Meanwhile, Austin Wells claimed that Judge hit 34 extra-base hits during the break between April 29 and May 2, the Yankees’ last visit here, when Judge was still fielding questions about his slow start to the season.
“I said he was going to hit 34 homers, have 85 RBIs,” Wells said, referring to Judge’s current stats, “but it’s just so unbelievable. To be in the dugout and see him put up those numbers, I can’t even put it into words because I’ve never seen it before. It’s so special. It’s unbelievable.”
Judge, who hit another home run on Friday night and walked four batters while throwing 17 pitches, entered the series in a bit of a slump, hitting just 4 for 31 (.129) since his last home run on July 2.
That slump, like the quiet start to this season, may now be a thing of the past.
On Saturday, Juan Soto made a rare appearance as a DH, with Judge starting in right field and Trent Grisham in center field.
Boone said Soto doesn’t prefer the designated hitter role but is willing to use him in that role at times while Giancarlo Stanton is out.
Despite still suffering from pain from slamming his right hand into the ground on June 28, Soto went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run, marking his fourth consecutive multi-hit game.
“When he’s focused and seeing a lot of good pitches, it’s fun to bat behind him and see what he does,” Judge said. “Impressive at-bats in a row. I know he’s got a bad hand right now, but for him to go out there and hit the ball like that is just unique.”
Gleyber Torres recorded three hits for the first time since April 27 against the Brewers.
Jorbit Vivas, who was promoted on Friday, also sat out Saturday’s game, even though the Orioles started right-hander Grayson Rodriguez.
DJ LeMahieu started at third base again but was moved back to the ninth spot in the batting order after batting leadoff in Friday’s series opener.
