"I try not to think about it" - Aaron Judge responds to comparisons with Barry Bonds and Yankees legends after hitting 49th home run of the season
Aaron Judge said he doesn't dwell on the media and fans comparing him with Barry Bonds or former New York Yankees legends after hitting his 49th home run of the season in the 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.
The 32-year-old slugger explained that he finds it difficult to believe these comparisons and doesn't spend much time thinking about it. Judge is the standout candidate to win the American League MVP this year.
He's leading the MLB in on-base percentage, slugging, OPS, total bases, home runs and RBIs. Judge is seemingly on pace to reach his mark of 62 home-run mark set in 2022, when he set the new AL single-season record.
On Friday, Aaron Judge smashed his 49th home run of the year with more than a month left to pay in the regular season. He was compared with Barry Bonds, the all-time MLB record holder with 762 career home runs. Bonds had set the MLB single-season record by hitting 73 home runs in 2001.
"It's not real," Judge said. "I try not to think about it. Even they would say a lot of the Yankee greats here - Mantle, DiMaggio, Maris, Babe Ruth. It's tough to comprehend or even think about."
Apart from his slugging numbers, Aaron Judge also leads the major leagues with 16 intentional walks. Meanwhile, Barry Bonds holds the all-time records for both walks and intentional walks.
"You can always learn something from those guys" : Aaron Judge
The New York Yankees host their 76th Old-Timers' Day on Saturday, which will commemorate the 15th anniversary of their 2009 World Series triumph. Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera will be present at the ceremony along with Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui, who won the World Series MVP.
Aaron Judge said that he's eagerly waiting to meet the Yankees greats and try to pick up any useful information from them.
"You can always learn something from those guys. They won a championship here. A lot of the guys in this room have not won a championship," Judge said.
"You can always pick up something from them; whether it's mindset, thought, or approach. Just anything. That's what's cool about Old-Timers' Day and playing for the Yankees. Those guys always come around. They are always happy and willing to share something close," he added.
The Yankees are moving closer towards sealing a playoff berth after extending their record to 76-53 atop the AL East.