Last night in the 9th Aaron Judge slugged his 60th home run of the season. He has joined Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds as the only players to do so. His next home run will tie Maris’ AL record set in 1961. He already has the AL record for most by a right handed hitter.
What makes this even more remarkable is that he’s also now in position to win the triple crown plus there is absolutely no home run race going on. He’s hitting .316 and has 128 RBI. If he finishes the season #1 in the AL in all 3 categories, he will be the first AL triple crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. None of the other 5 guys who’ve hit 60 homers in a season have a Triple Crown, not even Bonds.
As for the home run “race”—the next most home runs by anyone this season is Kyle Schwarber with 40. When Bonds hit 73 in 2001, Sammy Sosa hit 64 (and two others had over 50). 1998 saw McGwire hit 70 and Sosa 66. In 1961 Mickey Mantle had 54 to Maris’ 61…and Mantle missed time due to injury. In 1999 McGwire had 65 and Sosa 63. Even in 1927 when Ruth smashed 60, Lou Gehrig had 47. In other words this year will be the biggest split between #s 1 and 2 on the home run list (in a 60 homer season), and it’s not close.
Fan Interference 
Not sure what is more unbelieveable, that Judge has 60 dongs or that his total is more than the Tigers top 5 HR hitters combined (56).
Interesting that the 3 highest HR totals in AL history all belong to Damn Yankees.
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1927 flashback: Other than the Yankees with 158, only 3 of the other 15 MLB teams had more homers than Ruth by himself—the Giants, Cardinals, and Cubs. 7 teams had fewer than Gehrig’s 47. No team has more than Ruth + Gehrig.
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