Aaron Judge blasts two home runs to bring himself one away from 60 on season
Judge needs four home runs to beat Roger Maris
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aaron Judge hit his 58th and 59th home runs on Sunday as he continues to chase down Roger Maris.
Judge has 16 more games to be the new American League home run king.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees at bat against the Brewers at American Family Field on Sept. 17, 2022, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961, which stands as the American League record.
However, due to those who passed him being linked to performance-enhancing drugs, many see Maris as the record holder, making Judge's chase that much more interesting.
But if you ask Judge, he says Barry Bonds' 73 in 2001 is the record.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Seventy-three is the record," Judge told Sports Illustrated. "In my book. No matter what people want to say about that era of baseball, for me, they went out there and hit 73 homers and 70 homers, and that to me is what the record is. The AL record is 61, so that is one I can kind of try to go after. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it’s been a fun year so far."
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run, May 1, 2022, in Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
YANKEES’ AARON JUDGE ON HOME RUN KING: ‘SEVENTY-THREE IS THE RECORD’
Judge went opposite field at American Family Field in Milwaukee for his 58th, extending his career high.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It traveled 414 feet and would have been a home run in every ballpark in the major leagues.
In the seventh inning, he went deep to left field.
No one has hit 60 in a season since Bonds and Sammy Sosa (64) did so 21 years ago, but Judge is certainly on pace to accomplish the feat and surpass Maris.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Judge would become the third Yankee to hit 60 home runs in a season, joining Maris and Babe Ruth, who did it in 1927.
The solo shot in the seventh broke the American League record for most home runs hit by a right-handed hitter – Jimmie Foxx hit 58 home runs in 1932, and Hank Greenberg tied that mark six years later.
Not only does he lead all of baseball in home runs, but entering Sunday, he led the majors in RBI (123), on-base percentage (.415), slugging percentage (.687), total bases (357), OPS+ (209), intentional walks (17), and runs scored (119). His 91 walks lead the American League. He also is in the middle of a Triple Crown race. Through his seventh inning at bat, he was hitting .315. After his game, Minnesota's Luis Arraez was hitting .317.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge reacts after hitting a double against the Minnesota Twins, Sept. 5, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
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Judge is slated to be a free agent next season, and he is certainly due for a big pay day.