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New York Yankees' Juan Soto, Aaron Judge Make History With Back-to-Back Home Runs

Juan Soto and Aaron Judge both went yard in the first inning of the New York Yankees' loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, moving up a handful of historic leaderboards in the process.

Sam Connon

Aug 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium.
Aug 20, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Juan Soto (22) celebrates with center fielder Aaron Judge (99) after hitting a solo home run during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Yankees may not have been able to best the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night, but their top two sluggers stayed historically hot at the plate.

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, right fielder Juan Soto got his line drive to clear the short porch in right field for a 340-foot, solo home run. Center fielder Aaron Judge was up next, and he built upon Soto's display of power with a 372-foot shot to right center.

It marked the fifth time this season that Soto and Judge have gone back-to-back. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that is tied for the second-most by a duo in a single season in Yankees franchise history.

Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira set the record by going back-to-back six times in 2009. Gary Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez did it five times in 2005, matching the mark posted by Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig in 1936 and Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in 1927.

New York went on to win the World Series in three of those four seasons, which could be a good sign for this year's squad.

Those back-to-back home runs put the Yankees on top 2-0, but the Guardians wound up tying up the score and sending it to extras. Thanks to a six-run explosion in the top of the 12th inning, the Guardians emerged with a 9-5 victory.

Soto drew a walk in the third, ending the night 1-for-5, while Judge added an intentional walk in the 10th and a two-RBI double in the 12th to finish 2-for-5.

Judge is now batting .332 with 45 home runs, 114 RBI, 103 walks and an 1.172 OPS on the season. Soto, meanwhile, is batting .299 with 35 home runs, 88 RBI, 105 walks and a 1.034 OPS.

Langs noted that Judge and Soto are now just the fifth pair of teammates in MLB history to each record 35-plus home runs and 100-plus walks in a season. Boston Red Sox stars David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were the last to achieve the feat, doing so in 2006.

Only one other pair of Yankees teammates had done so before Judge and Soto – Ruth and Gehrig, who accomplished the feat in 1927, 1930 and 1931.

Judge and Soto were the fastest to reach the marks out of all seven occurrences.

The Yankees are set to host the Guardians again on Wednesday, looking to answer with a win and reclaim their spot atop the American League standings.

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Sam Connon

SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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