The Chase for Home Run History
As the 2022 MLB regular season is coming to a close, the two biggest storylines remain the pursuit of home run records by both Aaron Judge and Albert Pujols.
Photo courtesy of SI Kids
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge seems guaranteed to win the AL MVP, but that is not the biggest concern surrounding Judge currently. Judge is sitting at 60 home runs, one away Roger Maris’ AL record 61 home runs hit back in 1961. With 13 games left in the regular season, it seems almost impossible that Judge doesn’t hit at least 62 homers. Judge came up just short last night against the rival Boston Red Sox in the bottom of the 9th with a 404 ft. fly-out to center field.
Judge currently holds the Triple Crown in the AL (leader in batting average, homers, and RBI’s), but everyone is tuning into Yankee games to see 61 and eventually 62. The Yankees have 3 games remaining in a home series against the Red Sox before hitting the road, and it is known Judge would prefer to beat the record at Yankee Stadium.
Photo courtesy of MLB.com
Meanwhile, St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols is closing in on 700 career home runs in his last season of baseball. Pujols is currently sitting at 698 regular season bombs, needing two more in the team’s final eleven games. Reaching this feat would put Pujols in an exclusive club of 700 career home runs. The only players to every reach this mark are Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, and Babe Ruth.
When Pujols announced that this would be his final season, fans debated if he would hit 21 home runs this season to reach 700. Pujols started off slow, and needed 14 home runs in his last 53 team games to reach this, so many fans grew skeptical. Since that point on August 10th, Pujols has hit 12 home runs in the past 42 games and now looks destined to join the 700 home run club.
As the MLB season shifts towards the postseason, fans around the world will continue to closely monitor Judge and Pujols in their respective chases of home run history.
