Could Aaron Judge Break The Home Run Record Again This Season?
There’s no question that Aaron Judge has had a phenomenal baseball career and continuously justifies the $360 million, nine-year contract he made with the New York Yankees in the 2022 offseason. Despite a challenging 2023 season and a sluggish start this April, Judge is currently silencing his critics by delivering a historic performance that could surpass his 2022 achievements.
Aaron Judge achieved a career milestone in the 2022 regular season by surpassing the American League home run record of 61, previously set by former New York Yankee Roger Maris. Judge's 62nd home run against the Texas Rangers on October 4th, 2022, broke the AL home run record and cemented his legacy as one of baseball's best players in the modern era. Based on his current season, he could surpass his record of 62 home runs this year.
Judge Hits 40th Homer And Reaches 100 RBIs
On August 3rd, during a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Judge hit his 40th home run of the season, making it the third time he achieved this stat in his career. Additionally, he recorded his 100th RBI for the season. Judge became the first player in MLB this season to hit 30 home runs, with Shohei Ohtani behind with 32 home runs. With 49 games remaining, Judge is on pace to hit 58 home runs by the end of the regular season, exceeding his rookie-year home run numbers where he had 52. While it remains uncertain whether Judge will surpass his record of 62 home runs, he is certainly poised to come close.
Underestimating Aaron Judge serves only as a catalyst for his excellence, as he consistently surpasses all expectations. It would come as no surprise if he were to break his single-season home run record once more. This season's performance already surpasses his 2023 numbers, wherein he hit 37 home runs despite missing 56 games due to a toe injury.
Silencing The Haters
Judge's resurgence began in May, following a difficult April in which he managed only six home runs. Speculations about his lingering toe injury led some fans to go out on a limb and suggest a demotion to Triple-A. However, Judge dispelled any doubts by hitting 14 home runs in May and 11 in June, demonstrating his toe was not an issue to him at all.
Even without hitting home runs, Judge continually demonstrates the intimidation he brings to the plate. In the second inning of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays on August 3rd, Judge was intentionally walked with two outs and no runners on base. The New York Times reports that this strategy of intentionally walking a player in this situation has not been done in 52 years. Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked that this tactic is something that's beyond a "Barry Bonds treatment".
Breaking A Record Won't Surprise Many
Judge's ability to bounce back after a toe injury and potentially break his home run record showcases his abilities as a baseball player. Even if he finishes the season just shy of his record, his performance this season remains remarkable, and finishing with 58 home runs would be his second-highest single-season home run total. As of the 2024 season, Judge has a .322 batting average, an OPS of 1.157, and a slugging percentage of .701. These statistics solidify his status as the current leading candidate for the 2024 AL MVP award.
Only time will tell whether Aaron Judge will achieve another historic milestone in his career by breaking the home run record once more, but it would not be a surprise to anyone if he accomplishes this feat again.
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