I informed the manager that Aaron Judge was now on pace to hit 61 home runs and asked if he had considered breaking Judge’s own American League record of 62 after the Yankees destroyed the Cleveland Guardians, 6-0, on Thursday afternoon to further establish themselves as the American League’s best team.
“No,” Boone said, seeming to convey a kind but apprehensive “do we really have to start talking about this?” look on his face.
“But I guess we’re on the ‘on-pace’ section of the season,” he continued. See, with him, anything is possible.
One could easily understand the impulse that led to Boone’s brevity of response. Come on, dammit, the Yankees want to win the World Series. In Judge’s eighth year and Boone’s seventh, that is the unquenchable desire more than ever. Furthermore, although Judge’s pursuit of Roger Maris’ legendary record two years ago produced lifelong memories, it was a daily slog for all those involved.
That huge boy, though, just won’t quit hitting home runs. He is on pace to score 61 points this season after launching two on Wednesday and one more on Thursday. He is just one significant game away from becoming the new magic number of 63.
It is therefore impossible to avoid. A new historical quest has begun. This time, Judge—a well-known Peloton enthusiast—is trying to make his own name for himself on the leaderboard (Google it). In addition, he wants to become the first player in baseball history to hit 60 home runs in two separate seasons without ever having used performance-enhancing drugs (so far, only Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have done it).
The wise reluctance of opposition managers to give him pitches to hit may prove to be his hardest challenge this time. The majority of the deliberate walks occurred later in the 2022 season, but recently the league has started treating Judge like Barry Bonds, allowing him to reach base in circumstances that aren’t usually justified.
On Thursday, one of those occurred in the fifth inning with one out and runners on first and third. Manager Stephen Vogt of Cleveland called up right-hander Nick Sandlin, a sidearmer. Judge was the intended beneficiary of this matchup, not Austin Wells, the left-handed hitter who came after him.
Nevertheless, Vogt gave Sandlin the order to walk Judge after experimenting with a pitch-around, which loaded the bases.
Did Judge expect a chance to swing the bat there, considering the circumstances of the game?
Oh, without a doubt, he replied. “He used to have my number. During my final at-bat in Cleveland, I believe he walked me. He will add a terrific sinker that he has. He has a terrific feel for his slider and has been using the splitter and four-seamer more often. I’m hoping to bat, but I can’t concentrate on the possibility that I could be pitched to or walked.
Similar to how Bonds used to operate, Judge is making the most of the pitches he does see. Now, in his last 99 games, he has blasted 44 home runs.
An additional level from ’22, among the best seasons any hitter has ever had?
Indeed, Stanton adds, “from May until now, the stats say it, too.”
This home run chase ought to be less nerve-racking and less scrutinized than Judge’s initial run-in with the law. For over half a century, Maris’ record, often known as the AL record or the clean record, had remained unblemished. At the end, Judge’s parents and children both followed him around.
This time, the mark is Judge’s own, and it’s only two years old. However, that does not mean that anyone should disregard it or lose sight of the significance of the numbers 60 and 63. It’s a concrete representation of what the Yankees themselves attempt to express in press interviews.
The day’s victorious pitcher, Gerrit Cole, declared, “There’s no one that can compare to him, certainly not walking around right now, outside of Bonds.” “Being around him and having him on my squad is such a beautiful experience.”
And how did the judge present the subject? Inevitably.
“It would be awesome if it came with a ring and plenty of fun in the playoffs,” he remarked.
He is accurate. Here, those are the things that really count. However, a personal benchmark for excellence is poised to become a significant narrative as well, regardless of the Yankees’ wishes. Get ready for September and, once this narrative ends, for the month the Judge is much more concerned about.
