Aaron Judge's attempt to follow up 2022 success has fans split: "Never gonna happen"
When New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge takes the field for the 2023 MLB season, the 30-year-old superstar will be aiming to do what only a select few have been able to in history.
Judge hit 62 home runs over the course of the 2022 season. By doing so, he smashed the widely-acknowledged single-season MLB home run record of 61, which was set by fellow Yankee Roger Maris during the 1961 season.
Although Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire both hit over 70 homers in the 2001 and 1998 season, respectively, they are not commonly considered to hold the record. Both players were found to be using performance-enhancing drugs throughout the prime years of their careers.
In a recent Twitter post, MLB writer Bob Nightengale shared a list of the only players to follow up a 60-home run season with one that featured 50 or more long ones.
If Judge can hit at least 50 home runs for the New York Yankees, he will be in some elite company.
Aaron Judge is trying to go where only three players have gone before in #MLB history, following up a 60-homer season with at least 50 HRs.
Babe Ruth: 60 in 1927; 54 in 1928.
Mark McGwire: 70 in 1998; 65 in 1999.
Sammy Sosa: 66 in 1998; 63 in 1999.
Sosa: 63 in 1999; 50 in 2000.
"Aaron Judge is trying to go where only three players have gone before in #MLB history, following up a 60-homer season with at least 50 HRs." - Bob Nightengale
But fans are not so sure that Nightengale's logic adds up. One of the players on Nightengale's list is Mark McGwire, who hit 70 and 65 home runs in 1998 and 1999, respectively, with the St. Louis Cardinals.
@BNightengale Heโs gonna hit 76
@BNightengale Never gonnaโ hapoen
However, Aaron Judge is still thought to have hit more single-season home runs than McGwire due to the fact that McGwire was under the influence of performance-enhancing drugs during that time.
@BNightengale Juiced balls
@BNightengale Last year he had the benefit of juiced balls but good journos like you didn't report on it due to, you know, the Yankee idolatry you all have.
Another player who was using performance-enhancing drugs was Sammy Sosa. Sosa hit 50 or more home runs each season from 1998 to 2000 while he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.
@BNightengale No more juiced balls= normal 35-40 homer season
@BNightengale So really, only one player has done it legitimately. He is trying to join the Babe.
This means that the only "non-juiced" player on that list is Babe Ruth. Ruth was an integral part of the "Murderers Row" Yankees team of the 1920s, and is widely considered to be the best Yankee ever.
@BNightengale Ruth also did in 1920 (54) and 1921 (59). I think in 1920 that he hit more homers than every other AL team did.
Aaron Judge is already threatening Babe Ruth's title as the best Yankee ever
When Aaron Judge hit his 60th home run last September, he beat Babe Ruth's personal single-season record. If the 6-foot-7 outfielder can match Ruth again by hitting 50 or more home runs this season, he will have further closed the gap between him and Ruth's title as the best New York Yankees player ever to take the field.