“He’s going to hit the 600 HR mark and probably above” - Pedro Martinez lauds Aaron Judge’s slugging ability, predicts big things for Yankees captain
Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez believes Aaron Judge will reach the 600 home-run mark and beyond before his major league career is over. Martinez said that Judge has continued to surprise baseball fans and pundits since his MLB debut, as he has shown an uncanny ability to make the physical and mental adjustments to keep learning about the game.
Aaron Judge is at the midway point of that hallowed mark, hitting his 300th home run against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Wednesday night. The 32-year-old needed just 955 games to reach the milestone, breaking the record for fewest games taken to accomplish the feat, which Hall of Fame slugger Ralph Kiner had set way back in 1953.
Pedro Martinez, along with former MLB veteran Yonder Alonso, on MLB TV on Wednesday, offered their thoughts on the potential of Aaron Judge while speaking to Adnan Vik, the host of MLB Tonight.
"I'm not hesitant to say that he's going to hit the 600 [HR] mark and probably above," Martinez said.
"Ever since this kid came up to the big leagues, he is full of surprises for all of us that supposedly know the game. This is the kid that came over at right field. [Is he] too big? Is he going to stay healthy? Late bloomer. This and that. No, he's done all that and has shown us that he makes adjustments. Not on physically, but mentally," he continued.
Martinez added:
"He learns the game as if he were 20-22 years old. He continues to learn the game and master his craft. Around the plate, he's got more disciplined. He's got better at everything he does, including defense and how to take care of his body, especially at centerfield."
Aaron Judge is playing his ninth season in the MLB, having made his debut in 2016 at the relatively late age of 24.
Nevertheless, he's seventh in the all-time home run leaderboard for the New York Yankees, with Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth being the only players to hit more than 400 home runs for the franchise.
"Aaron Judge is the protector of Yankees": Yonder Alonso
Former All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso also lauded the abilities of Aaron Judge on MLB Tonight. Alonso feels that Judge is the best slugger in the game right now, as he's able to carry the entire team on his back.
"When I look at Aaron Judge, there are not many holes. When you think about who's a premier hitter? You have got [Juan] Soto. You have got [Shohei] Ohtani. You have got [Freddie] Freeman, Mookie [Betts]. Judge could be the toughest out," Alonso said.
"All these other guys that we're talking about have protection. He doesn't necessarily have that protection. He is the guy. He is on base. He is the protector of Yankees," he added.
Judge is in prime position to be crowned American League MVP for the second time. He leads the league in total bases, extra-base hits, walks, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, runs created, RBIs and home runs.