The New York Yankees fell 4-3 at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, in an explosive showdown between Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
Those two are perhaps the biggest contenders for the American League MVP award, and they both had a night to remember.
Ohtani blasted a two-run home run off Frankie Montas, while Judge belted a long solo blast in the eighth inning.
That home run by Judge was number 50 for him, which is absolutely bonkers if you consider there is still over a month to go in the regular season.
In fact, by reaching the big 5-0, Judge tied a current teammate’s achievement done five years ago.
“Aaron Judge is the seventh different player ever to record at least 50 homers before the month of September. He’s the first since Giancarlo Stanton with the 2017 Marlins,” MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, who covers the Yankees for the league’s official site, tweeted.
Aaron Judge is the seventh different player ever to record at least 50 homers before the month of September. He's the first since Giancarlo Stanton with the 2017 Marlins.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) August 30, 2022
Can Judge Surpass Stanton’s 59 Home Runs?
That year, Stanton was with the Miami Marlins, and won the NL MVP award by hitting 59 round-trippers.
In December of that year, he was traded to the Yankees in exchange for Starlin Castro and prospects.
Since then, Judge and Stanton are the perhaps the league’s premier power duo.
Judge is two home runs shy of his career-high of 52, established back in 2017, his rookie season.
He is actually on pace to hit around 61 home runs, which is the Yankees’ single-season record.
Roger Maris did that in 1961.
Judge will need a red-hot September to do that, which would also be the first time since the steroids era that a player reaches 60 blasts.
Can he pull that off?
We will find out in about four weeks.
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