Yankees' Aaron Judge caps historic week with AL Player of the Week title

The New York Yankees superstar, Aaron Judge, has once again emblazoned his legendary status in baseball, receiving the American League Player of the Week distinction for September 8–14.

The Yankees slugger dominated across six games, hitting .450 with a .560 on-base percentage and a 1.200 slugging mark. Judge launched five home runs, drove in five RBI, and scored nine runs, compiling a 1.760 OPS that led all American League hitters during the week.

The 33-year-old outfielder has now won 14 career Player of the Week honors, tying Albert Pujols and Hall of Famer Frank Thomas for fourth-most all-time and second-most in the AL behind Manny Ramirez, who recorded 16. This is Judge’s second AL Player of the Week recognition of this season, following his first on March 31, and the third for New York this year, alongside Cody Bellinger, who earned the award on September 2.

The seven-time All-Star had a historic week. Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers saw Judge hit two home runs, tying Joe DiMaggio for 45 career multi-homer games, the third-most in Yankees history behind Ruth (68) and Mantle (46). Since his MLB debut in 2017, Judge’s 45 multi-homer games are the most by any player, ahead of San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado with 37.

On Friday against the Boston Red Sox, he hit a milestone home run, the 362nd of his career, which allowed him to surpass DiMaggio for fourth place on the Yankees’ all-time home run list. He now trails only Babe Ruth (659), Mickey Mantle (536), and Lou Gehrig (493). The homer was also Judge’s 19th in the first inning this season, setting a Major League record for most first-inning homers in a single season, breaking the previous mark of 18 held by Alex Rodriguez (2001) and matched by Judge in 2024.

He also reached base safely twice in each of his last four games to close the week, including a home run on Sunday at Fenway Park that brought his season total to 48, just two shy of 50 homers. A fourth 50+ home run season would place Judge alongside Ruth, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa in Major League history.

Despite the Yankees going 3-3 last week, the two-time AL MVP (2022 and 2024)’s offensive dominance has kept New York within striking distance in the AL East, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by 4.0 games and leading the Boston Red Sox by 1.5 games for the top Wild Card spot. Hitting .326 with a .447 OBP, .678 slugging percentage, 48 home runs, and 102 RBI on the season, Judge remains the frontrunner for the 2025 AL MVP, with Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh the only other contender.

Meanwhile, in the National League, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts earned his sixth career Player of the Week award after slashing .462/.517/.808 with two home runs, 10 RBI, three doubles, and seven runs scored across six games. Betts ranked second in the Majors in RBI, slugging, OPS (1.325), and hits, and tied for third in runs scored and total bases (21).

The 32-year-old also recorded multiple RBI in five consecutive games, the longest such streak of his career, and reached base safely in each of his last 19 games since August 24, continuing his consistent impact for the Dodgers’ postseason push.