One of baseball’s finest hitters, Aaron Judge, unleashed his highest potential in the year 2022, which also happened to be his walk year. The New York Yankees slugger invoked his inner beast to script a league-high 62-home run record and won AL MVP with a comfortable vote margin.
However, despite the 2022 season being his career-best stretch, Aaron Judge is apparently having a better time this year. He is not even close to the 62-home run record and yet considers the present season as one of the most enjoyable phases of his major league career. Read on to know the full reason.
Team Success Matters More To Aaron Judge Than Personal Best
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge, who broke the major league record for home runs in a single season in 2022, has been the heart of the Yankee hitting lineup since debut in 2016. In 2022, Judge captivated the baseball world by smashing 62 home runs, surpassing Roger Maris’ long-standing record of 61, set in 1961. His nuclear numbers by the end of October made him the unanimous choice for the AL MVP award. However, despite the accolades and the monumental achievement of 2022, Judge believes he’s improved this year. Notably, across 118 games, Judge is hitting .329 with 42 home runs, 107 RBIs and 1.162 OPS. He has a serious shot at clinching a triple crown.
However, the all-time high home run record is still far away from his reach. Having said that, the key behind Aaron Judge’s satisfaction is not his personal achievements but the team’s success. The New York Yankees are tied for the best record in baseball with 70-49 and are poised to comfortably qualify for the postseason whilst having a close battle with the Baltimore Orioles for the AL-East division title. Interestingly, Judge feels the team at his helm this year is much better compared to previous seasons and has the right pieces to accomplish the far-fetched championship dream. “The team that we have, we have guys on base 80 per cent of the time I come to the plate. It makes my job a lot easier,” Aaron Judge said. Hence, the captain is confident that the current Yankee lot has it in them to break the 14-year-long drought for a World Series title.
Judge Nears Historic Home Run Feat
On Sunday, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge slammed his 42nd season home run against the Texas Rangers. However, the home run also happened to be his career 299th-long hit, which came in his 952nd career game. Hence, Judge stands a chance to claim the record of being the fastest man to reach the milestone.
Notably, Ralph Kiner reached the 300 milestone in his 1,087th game, making him the fastest man to reach the milestone. Meanwhile, Judge has one full season to surpass Kiner and it is likely that he will unlock the milestone this month itself. “If it comes with a win, it’ll mean something,” Judge said on the 300 home run milestone.
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