As the New York Yankees squared off against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, the conversation around the stadium turned to two standout sluggers in MLB: Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge of the Yankees. Bud Black, manager of the Rockies, drew comparisons between these modern-day stars and his former teammate, all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, whom he played with in the early ’90s.
While Black acknowledged that Ohtani and Judge may not yet be on the same level as Bonds, their recent performance on the field certainly turned heads. Judge, in particular, blasted his 50th and 51st home runs of the season in the Yankees’ 10-3 victory over the Rockies, prompting speculation about whether he could challenge Bonds’ single-season record of 73 homers.
Several players and coaches weighed in on Judge’s incredible run, with right fielder Juan Soto expressing confidence in Judge’s potential to surpass Bonds. Meanwhile, manager Aaron Boone refused to set any limits on what Judge could achieve.
Judge’s power surge has been nothing short of spectacular, with seven home runs in his last six games and a total of 51 home runs by August 25th. He joined elite company as only the fifth player in history to hit at least 50 homers in three separate seasons, following legends like Babe Ruth and Mark McGwire.
Despite a slow start to the season, Judge’s adjustment to his swing has paid off in spades, propelling him to the top of the league in various offensive categories. With a home run every nine at-bats, Judge’s quest to break records like Bonds’ seemingly impossible mark of 73 home runs continues.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Judge to see if he can rewrite the history books and cement his place among the all-time greats in MLB. Whether he reaches those lofty heights remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—Aaron Judge’s power at the plate is a sight to behold.
(Photo: Jim McIsaac / Getty Images)
