MLB insider believes New York Yankees are keeping things calm for Aaron Judge with homer record on the line
New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge has a realistic shot at breaking the team's single-season home run record. He is just one home run away from tying Roger Maris' American League record of 61, and two away from becoming the all-time leader. The best part is that Judge doesn't seem fazed by the pressure of the situation.
‍⚖️No. 60 ties The Sultan of Swat for 2nd all-time in American League history!
@TheJudge44 👨‍⚖️ https://t.co/DNwFXsJFMC
"No. 60 ties The Sultan of Swat for 2nd all-time in American League history! - New York Yankees
In 1961, Roger Maris was in the process of breaking Babe Ruth's record of 60 home runs. Maris was berated by reporters after every game. According to reports, Maris suffered severe hair loss from the stress that came with the pressure of surpassing Ruth.
The Yankees are much better at protecting their players from the media nowadays. MLB insider Jon Heyman said the Yankees "aren’t treating Judge as if history is about to be made even though they know it is."
Column: With different pressures and obstacles, Judge is having an even greater season than Roger Maris’ brilliant and historic 1961
nypost.com/2022/09/25/rog…
This raises the question as to what's different about Aaron Judge's chase for surpremacy. When Maris hit his 61st home run of the 1961 season, he set the all-time MLB record. Although Judge is on pace to break the American League record, Barry Bonds' all-time record of 73 may be out of reach. This could explain why New York is downplaying Judge's chase for 61.
Another reason could be that the playoffs are coming up in just a couple of weeks. Although the Yankees did win the World Series the year Maris broke the record, there were no playoffs then. The teams with the best record in each league would always face each other in the World Series until 1969.
Regardless, Aaron Judge is on the brink of doing something special. He is also having one of the best offensive seasons we've seen in quite some time.
A look into Aaron Judge's MVP-caliber 2022 MLB season
It is to no one's surprise that Aaron Judge is having a special season in 2022. Outside of his 60 home runs, he is posting terrific overall numbers at the plate.
Aaron Judge is MVP of Major League Baseball, not just the American League.
"Aaron Judge is MVP of Major League Baseball, not just the American League." - Gary Sheffield Jr.
Through 147 games played this season, Judge has a slash line of .314/.420/.696, which adds up to a league-leading 1.116 OPS. He also leads the majors in total bases (377), walks (98) and RBI (128).
If he can raise his batting average, he could become the first player to win a triple crown since 2011.