Aaron Judge became the fastest player in Major League Baseball history to hit 350 career home runs during the Yankees’ 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium. He reached the milestone in his 1,088th game, surpassing Mark McGwire’s previous record of 1,280 games.
Judge hit the two-run homer in the ninth inning on a high 0-2 fastball from Cubs reliever Brad Keller – his 35th home run of the season. He also recorded two doubles and went 3-for-4 on the day. His batting average increased to .358, and he now has 81 RBIs in 2025.
After the game, Judge said, “I honestly got nothing, to be honest. It would’ve been great if we got a win today, to do something like that. I’ve been surrounded by some great teammates and been on some good teams that have really put me in the best position to go out there and perform at my best. So it’s really just a shoutout to all the teammates I’ve had over the years.”
Manager Aaron Boone commented, “Wow. I mean, I don’t know what to say about it. Because I just think he’s playing in a different league. I just had a moment with him in there [in the clubhouse], just congratulating him — like, that’s a pretty big number. The fact that it’s 200 games faster than McGwire is just a testament to his greatness.”
- Aaron Judge became the fastest MLB player to reach 350 home runs, doing so in just 1,088 games—192 faster than Mark McGwire.
- Judge hit his 35th homer of the 2025 season during a 5-2 loss to the Cubs, finishing the day 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.
- Despite the historic moment, Judge stayed humble, crediting teammates and saying the record would’ve felt better with a win.
Cubs Hold Off Yankees, Boyd Wins Duel Against Fried
Chicago starter Matthew Boyd pitched eight scoreless innings. He gave up four hits, walked none, and struck out six. Plus, he threw 62 of his 85 pitches for strikes. Boyd improved to 10-3, earning his fourth straight win and fifth consecutive decision.
Yankees starter Max Fried allowed nine of 18 batters to reach base. He gave up four runs, three earned, on six hits and three walks over three innings. Fried threw 39 of 73 pitches for strikes. He exited early due to a blister. Fried has previously gone on the injured list for blisters in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Before the game, he had a 6-0 record against the Cubs.
Nico Hoerner tripled to lead off the game and scored on Kyle Tucker’s groundout. In the third inning, Carson Kelly and Ian Happ hit run-scoring singles. Dansby Swanson added an RBI groundout.
Carson Kelly hit a solo home run in the eighth off Jonathan Loaisiga. Loaisiga has now allowed seven home runs over 23⅓ innings this season, the most he has allowed in any year of his career.
Daniel Palencia recorded the final two outs for the Cubs. His fastball reached 101.1 mph. He earned his 11th save in 12 chances.
Betting Markets Respond to Player Performance and Team Trends
Before the July 12 game, online sportsbooks showed movement in betting lines. According to FanDuel, the Yankees opened at –172 but shifted to –156 by game day. The Cubs moved from +144 to +132. The spread remained at Yankees –1.5 runs, with the total set around 9 to 9.5 runs, depending on the sportsbook.
Aaron Judge entered the season with +310 odds to win the American League MVP, according to DraftKings. By early May, the odds shifted to –160. As of midseason, Judge is the current favorite at multiple sportsbooks, including BetMGM and PointsBet.
Judge’s All-Star Game MVP odds are +600 at DraftKings. Shohei Ohtani is ahead of him at +500. OddsChecker listed Judge at +750.
Additional All-Star props at DraftKings include +100 for one or more hits, +600 for a home run, and +340 for one or more RBIs. The Action Network reported that Judge held approximately 9% of MVP prop bets, with Ohtani holding around 10%.
World Series futures from Vegas Insider list the Yankees at +700, tied for the second-best odds behind the Dodgers. Caesars listed Judge at +7500 to finish the season with a .400 batting average. This reflects a 1.32% implied probability.
A Record-Breaking Day Grounded in Respect for the Game
Beyond the numbers, Judge was reflective when asked about his place in history. Judge debuted in 2016 at age 24. He turned 33 in April 2025. He leads all players in home runs through their first 1,088 games, with 50 more than Ralph Kiner.
Mark McGwire finished his career with 583 home runs and retired in 2001 at age 38. He admitted in 2010 to using performance-enhancing drugs and has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Judge said of McGwire, “Big Mac did a lot of great things in this game, and he’s definitely a legend. It was cool when I got the opportunity to meet him and talk with him on the phone a little bit. He’s a special one, that’s for sure. … He’s been great over the years.”
Judge added that their first conversation began when McGwire’s son had a similar injury, “I think it started with when I broke my first rib. I think his son was kind of going through the same thing, so he was first asking me how did I heal? What do we do? So I kind of gave him some tips on that. And then we just kind of chit-chatted a little bit and kept in contact.”
Among the six fastest players to 350 home runs, McGwire, Juan Gonzalez, Alex Rodriguez, Harmon Killebrew, and Albert Pujols, only Killebrew is in the Hall of Fame. Rodriguez and Gonzalez were not elected due to PED connections, while Pujols is not eligible until 2028.
