Aaron Judge Makes Yankees History After Meeting President Trump

In a remarkable turn of events, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has been on a home run tear since his recent encounter with former President Donald Trump. Judge has blasted three home runs in just two games following their handshake, with his latest blast against the Boston Red Sox carrying historic significance. On Friday night, Judge launched his 362nd career home run, moving him past Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio on the franchise’s all-time home run list. This milestone places Judge in fourth place among Yankees sluggers, an impressive feat considering he reached this mark in just 1,130 games compared to DiMaggio’s 1,736 games across his 13-year career (which included a three-year interruption while DiMaggio served in World War II).

The power surge began on Thursday when Judge met Trump, who visited the Yankees clubhouse before their game against the Detroit Tigers. During that visit, Trump shook hands with Judge and other players, creating a memorable moment for the team. Judge responded with an outstanding performance, going 3-for-4 with two solo home runs—his 45th and 46th of what has become an MVP-caliber season. The meeting seemed to spark something special in the Yankees captain, who has continued his torrid hitting pace since the encounter.

Trump later commented on the meeting during a Friday morning appearance on “Fox & Friends,” recalling his interaction with the Yankees star. “I said, ‘You gotta win this game. You’re gonna make me look bad if you don’t win this game,’ and they were great,” Trump shared. He went on to praise Judge’s physical presence, noting, “Aaron Judge, he is some player, but he is some strong guy. He has the biggest forearms—you know I’ve seen weightlifters—I’ve never seen arms this big. And he’s a fantastic person too.” Trump seemed particularly impressed by Judge’s immediate performance following their meeting, adding, “He got up, hit two home runs, a single.”

Judge himself suggested a connection between Trump’s visit and the team’s subsequent success. With a touch of humor, the Yankees star proposed that Trump should become a more regular presence around the team. “We put on a show. He came in here and told us we were going to win, so I think that gave everybody the confidence in the room to go out there and do it,” Judge remarked after Thursday’s game. “But I guess we gotta have him around more often when we go out there and score that many runs and do something like that.” The comment highlights both Judge’s good-natured personality and his focus on team performance above individual achievements.

Judge’s historic 47th homer of the season has not only pushed him further up the Yankees’ record books but has also boosted his league-leading batting average to .324. This combination of power and average demonstrates why Judge is considered one of baseball’s most complete hitters and a leading MVP candidate. His ascent through the Yankees’ home run hierarchy has been swift and impressive, having just recently surpassed Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for fifth place on New York’s career list earlier in the week. The only Yankees who remain ahead of Judge on this prestigious list are true legends of the game: Babe Ruth (659 homers with the Yankees), Mickey Mantle (536), and Lou Gehrig (493).

As Judge continues his remarkable season and climbs through the Yankees record books, he cements his place in the storied franchise’s rich history. The 6’7″ slugger has become the face of baseball’s most recognizable team, following in the footsteps of Yankees greats while creating his own unique legacy. Whether or not there’s any real connection between his recent power surge and the presidential visit, Judge’s performance speaks for itself. His combination of power, average, and leadership has made him not just a Yankees captain but one of the most respected players in all of baseball. As the season progresses, baseball fans everywhere will be watching to see just how far Judge can climb on the all-time lists and whether he can lead the Yankees to another World Series championship.