Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has set a new franchise record with his 34th home run before the All-Star break, surpassing Roger Maris’s 1961 record of 33. This historic homer, a 431-foot solo shot, helped propel the Yankees to a 6-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The win marked a significant milestone for the Yankees, as they became the first AL East team since April 2023 to win a series against the Orioles.While the Yankees celebrate their recent success, the Philadelphia Phillies have made history of their own. The team has tied an MLB record with eight All-Stars selected for this year’s game. However, their celebration was tempered by the news that left-handed starter Ranger Suárez has been replaced on the All-Star roster due to back spasms. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated that while the training staff is not overly concerned, they plan to use the break to give Suárez some rest.In a concerning incident, Baltimore Orioles’ rookie outfielder Heston Kjerstad was placed on the 7-day concussion list after being hit in the head by a pitch from New York Yankees closer Clay Holmes. The incident, which occurred during Friday’s game, led to a benches-clearing confrontation between the two teams. Kjerstad, who had been impressing with a.314 batting average, 3 home runs, and 12 RBI in 21 games this season, will be eligible to return on July 22.
Key points
- Aaron Judge set a new Yankees record with 34 home runs before the All-Star break.
- The Philadelphia Phillies tied an MLB record with eight All-Stars selected, but Ranger Suárez was replaced due to injury.
- Orioles’ rookie Heston Kjerstad was placed on the 7-day concussion list after a pitch to the head sparked a benches-clearing incident.
