When the 2023 MLB regular season began on March 30, Aaron Judge – an outfielder for the New York Yankees – had 220 career home runs and was coming off a season where he hit 61 home runs. He set the bar high for other MLB players, considering he broke the AL record for most home runs in a season.
To no one’s surprise, he has been just as good this season. Despite only playing in 86 of the Yankees’ first 140 games of the year, Judge is currently chillin’ with 31 home runs – you read that right, 31 HRs in 86 games. Only one other player has more than 25 dingers in less than 100 games (CoreySeager).
But it wouldn’t be a true MLB season unless Aaron Judge broke a record, am I right? Well, he did just that on September 1 against the Houston Astros when he became the fastest MLB player to reach 250 career home runs. It took him 810 games, which is 45 games less than previous record holder Ryan Howard.
Can You Name the 18 Other Active MLB Players With at Least 250 Home Runs?
via Shutterstock (Keeton Gale)
Aaron Judge is one of the 138 MLB players who hit a home run in their first major league at-bat – it came on August 13, 2016 against the Tampa Bay Rays and was one of just four home runs he hit that season (27 games). He then hit 52 home runs in 155 games the following season before injuries got in the way.
He went on to hit 63 home runs over the next three seasons (242 games), but started returning to form in 2021 with 39 home runs in 148 games. The 2022 season saw him hit 62 home runs before adding another 31 home runs (and counting) to the mix this season. As of today, he has 251 career home runs.
While Aaron Judge made it look easy, hitting 250 home runs in a career is no easy task. In fact, only 246 MLB players have hit at least 250 home runs in their career and only 19 active MLB players (including Aaron Judge) have reached that milestone. How many of those active MLB players can you name?
Mookie Betts has hit 251 home runs in 1,246 career games (10 seasons) – 139 of which came with the Boston Red Sox, while the remaining 112 have come with the Los Angeles Dodgers. After hitting a career-high 35 home runs last season, he topped that mark yet again with 38 home runs this season.
Betts has hit at least 20 home runs in 7 of his 10 seasons in the major leagues – including at least 30 home runs four times. He has 29 multi-HR games in his career and has hit at least three home runs in six games – tied for the most all-time. He still has a lot of baseball left, so he’ll continue to climb this list.
Jose Abreu has hit 257 home runs in 1,391 career games (10 seasons) – 243 of which have come with the White Sox, while the remaining 14 have come with the Astros. He hit a career-high 36 home runs as a rookie in 2014 and had 228 dingers in his first eight years, but has just 29 home runs in the past 2 years.
Abreu has hit at least 20 home runs in 7 of his 10 seasons in the major leagues – including at least 30 home runs four times. He has 20 multi-HR games in his career and hit a career-high three home runs on August 22, 2020 – the only one of his career. He has underperformed the past two years, but he’ll be fine.
Josh Donaldson has hit 276 home runs in 1,366 career games (13 seasons). His most impressive stretch came with the Blue Jays, where he hit 116 home runs in 462 games between 2015 and 2018 – including 41 in 2015, 37 in 2016, and 33 in 2017. He also had 37 home runs with the Braves in 2019.
He has hit at least 20 home runs in 7 of his 13 seasons, but hasn’t done so since hitting 26 home runs with the Twins in 2021 – he had 15 dingers with the Yankees last season, but has spent most of his 2023 campaign injured. He has 23 multi-HR games and hit three home runs against the Twins in 2016.
Anthony Rizzo has hit 295 home runs in 1,635 career games (13 seasons) – 242 of which came with the Cubs between 2012 and 2021. He tied a career-high with 32 home runs with the Yankees last season. He has hit at least 20 home runs in 9 of his 13 seasons and at least 30 home runs five times in his career.
Rizzo has 21 multi-HR games and one 3-HR game in his career. A strong majority (222 of 295) of his home runs came against a right-handed pitcher and he has hit more home runs on the road (154) than at home (141). 59 of his home runs came in the 1st inning and he he has hit 5 home runs in extra innings.
Carlos Santana has hit 297 home runs in 1,910 career games (14 seasons). He has played for six teams in his career, but a majority of his home runs (216) came with the Cleveland Guardians between 2010 and 2020. He hit at least 20 home runs in 7 of his 14 seasons and at least 30 home runs twice in his career.
Santana has 16 multi-HR games in his career, but has never had three home runs in the same game. He’s one of the few batters who can say they’ve hit nine home runs against Justin Verlander, he hits most of his home runs (41) in the 4th inning, has eight dingers in extra innings, and has hit five grand slams.
Andrew McCutchen has hit 299 home runs in 2,007 career games (15 seasons). He has played for five teams in his career, but a majority of his home runs (215) came with the Pittsburgh Pirates between 2009 and 2017, and 2023. He hit at least 20 home runs in 9 of his 15 seasons and a career-high 31 in 2012.
McCutchen has 16 multi-HR games and three 3-HR games in his career. He has hit more home runs on the road (163) than at home (136), has hit 60 home runs in the 1st inning, 7 home runs in extra innings, 3 grand slams, 112 home runs with 0 outs, 37 home runs against the Brewers, and 455 RBIs off home runs.
Bryce Harper has hit 300 home runs in 1,487 career games (12 seasons). He hit 184 home runs with the Nationals between 2012 and 2018, and has 116 home runs with the Phillies since 2019. He hit at least 20 home runs in 8 of his 12 seasons, at least 30 home runs four times, and a career-high 42 dingers in 2015.
Harper has 24 multi-HR games in his career and had three home runs against the Marlins in 2015. He has hit more home runs at home (158) than on the road (142), has hit 63 home runs in the 1st inning, 9 home runs against Julio Teheran, 40 home runs against the Braves, and has 6 grand slams in his career.
J.D. Martinez has hit 307 home runs in 1,501 career games (13 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on May 20, 2021. He has played for five teams in his career, but 229 of his home runs came with the Red Sox and Tigers. He has hit at least 20 home runs eight times and hit a career-high 45 dingers in 2017.
Martinez has 18 multi-HR games, two 3-HR games, and is one of just 18 MLB players to hit four home runs in the same game. He has hit more home runs at home (168) than on the road (140), has never hit more than three home runs against any one pitcher, and has hit 35 home runs against the Orioles.
Manny Machado has hit 309 home runs in 1,570 career games (12 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on September 25, 2021. He has 162 home runs with the Orioles, 134 home runs with the Padres, and 13 with the Dodgers. He has hit at least 30 home runs six times and a career-high 37 in 2016 and 2018.
Machado has 35 multi-HR games and two 3-HR games in his career. He has hit more home runs at home (183) than on the road (126), has hit 61 home runs in the 1st inning, 12 grand slams, 117 home runs with 0 outs, 22 home runs against the New York Yankees, and has 497 RBIs as a result of his home runs.
Freddie Freeman has hit 317 home runs in 1,864 career games (14 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on May 15, 2021 and the 300 club on May 18, 2023. He hit 271 home runs with the Braves and has 46 HRs since joining the Dodgers in 2022. He has hit at least 20 home runs in 10 of his 14 seasons in the MLB.
Freeman has 19 multi-HR games, but has never hit more than two home runs in the same game. He has hit more home runs on the road (162) than at home (155), has hit 38 home runs against the Marlins, 68 home runs in the 1st inning, 235 home runs against right-handed pitchers, and has hit five grand slams.
Nolan Arenado has hit 325 home runs in 1,518 career games (11 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on June 25, 2021 and the 300 club on April 8, 2023. He hit 235 home runs with the Rockies and has 90 home runs since joining the Cardinals in 2021. He has hit at least 30 home runs in 7 of his 11 seasons.
Arenado has 23 multi-HR games in his career and hit three home runs against the Padres in 2017. He has hit more home runs at home (176) than on the road (149), has hit 81 home runs in the 1st inning, has five grand slams, and has at least 30 HRs against the Padres, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Giants.
Paul Goldschmidt has hit 338 home runs in 1,757 career games (13 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on April 13, 2021 and the 300 club on July 16, 2022. He hit 209 home runs with the Diamondbacks and has 129 home runs since joining St. Louis in 2019. He hit at least 30 home runs in 7 of his 13 seasons.
Goldschmidt has 23 multi-HR games and three 3-HR games in his career. He has hit more home runs on the road (170) than at home (168), has hit 85 home runs in the 1st inning, seven home runs with the bases loaded, 243 home runs against right-handed pitchers, and seven home runs vs. Tim Lincecum.
Evan Longoria has hit 342 home runs in 1,977 career games (16 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on June 10, 2017 and the 300 club on August 21, 2020. He hit 261 home runs with the Rays, 70 with the Giants, and 11 since joining the Diamondbacks in 2023. He had a career-high 36 home runs in 2016.
Longoria has 19 multi-HR games and two 3-HR games in his career. He has hit more home runs at home (176) than on the road (166), has hit 54 home runs in both the 1st and 6th innings, has hit four home runs with the bases loaded, 106 home runs against left-handed pitchers, and 41 home runs vs. the Orioles.
Joey Votto has hit 355 home runs in 2,042 career games (17 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on August 6, 2017, the 300 club on April 30, 2021, and the 350 club on July 18, 2023. He has spent his entire career with the Reds and is just 35 home runs away from being the team’s all-time leader in HRs.
Votto has 17 multi-HR games and three 3-HR games in his career (2008, 2012, 2015). He has hit more home runs at home (196) than on the road (159), has hit 73 home runs in the 1st inning, four home runs with the bases loaded, 50 home runs against the Cubs, and 88 home runs against left-handed pitchers.
Mike Trout has hit 368 home runs in 1,489 career games (13 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on May 18, 2019, the 300 club on September 5, 2020, and the 350 club on October 5, 2022. He has spent his entire career with the Angels and became the team’s all-time home run leader with his 300th home run.
Trout has 25 multi-HR games in his career, but has never hit more than two homers in the same game. He has hit more home runs at home (185) than on the road (183), has hit 93 home runs in the 1st inning, six home runs with the bases loaded, 54 home runs vs. the Mariners, and 76 home runs against LHP.
Giancarlo Stanton has hit 400 home runs in 1,522 career games (14 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on August 13, 2017, the 300 club on August 30, 2018, and the 400 club on September 5, 2023. He hit 267 home runs with the Marlins (8 seasons) and has 133 home runs since joining the Yankees in 2018.
Stanton has 36 multi-HR games in his career, but has never hit more than two home runs in the same game. He has hit at least 20 home runs in 12 of his 14 seasons and at least 30 home runs seven times – including a career-high 59 homers in 2017. He has 10 grand slams and 619 runs batted in off home runs.
Nelson Cruz has hit 464 home runs in 2,055 career games (19 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on May 20, 2016, the 300 club on July 7, 2017, and the 400 club on September 22, 2019. He has played for eight teams in his career, but has hit 157 home runs with the Rangers and 163 home runs with the Mariners.
Cruz has 38 multi-HR games and two 3-HR games in his career. He has hit at least 20 home runs in 12 of his 19 seasons, at least 30 home runs on eight occasions, and at least 40 home runs on four occasions – including a career-high 44 homers in 2015. He also has 10 home runs with the bases loaded in his career.
Miguel Cabrera has hit 510 home runs in 2,783 career games (21 seasons) – he joined the 250 club on April 6, 2011, the 300 club on July 22, 2012, the 400 club on May 16, 2015, and the coveted 500 club on August 22, 2021. He has hit 372 home runs with the Tigers and hit 138 home runs with the Marlins.
Cabrera has 41 multi-HR games and two 3-HR games in his career. He has hit at least 20 home runs in 12 of his 21 seasons, at least 30 home runs on 10 occasions, and at least 40 home runs twice – he had 44 home runs in 2012 and 2013. He has hit 50 home runs against the Guardians and has 6 grand slams.
MLB Players Who Will Join the 250-HR Club Soon
Behind Aaron Judge, there are currently 13 active MLB players who are within 50 home runs of joining the coveted 250-HR club – all of whom could very well join the list at some point in the near future. Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals is the next closest at 244 home runs in his 12-year career.
Others include Eugenio Suárez (242), Kyle Schwarber (240), George Springer (238), Marcell Ozuna (229), Matt Olson (223), Mike Moustakas (215), Charlie Blackmon (214), José Ramírez (213), Francisco Lindor (210), Marcus Semien (208), Jose Altuve (207), and Nick Castellanos (203).
Of course, none of those players are ever going to catch Barry Bonds at 762 career home runs and it’ll likely be a while before we see someone join the 500-HR club – a list that includes just 28 MLB players. Giancarlo Stanton has the best shot at doing so, but he’s still 100 home runs away from that 500 mark.
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