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New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is about to join a pretty exclusive club.
He will enter Friday’s game against the Brewers with 57 home runs. That is already the most by any Yankee since Roger Maris in 1961. It is also the most by any right-handed hitter in franchise history.
But with only three more dingers, Judge will become only the sixth player in MLB history to crush at least 60 home runs in a season. Here is a list of those who are already in the club.
Update, Sept. 20 — Judge hit his 60th HR of the 2022 season on Tuesday night.
1. Barry Bonds (2001): 73
2. Mark McGwire (1998): 70
3. Sammy Sosa (1998): 66
4. Mark McGwire (1999): 65
5. Sammy Sosa (2001): 64
6. Sammy Sosa (1999): 63
7. Roger Maris (1961): 61
8. Babe Ruth (1927): 60
9. Aaron Judge (2022): 60
With 19 games left in his regular season, Judge is on pace for 64 home runs, which would tie him with Sosa for the fifth-most in a single season. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the line for Judge to hit more than 61.5 homers is at -475. Under 61.5 is at +340.
If Judge does indeed top that number and get to 62, prepare yourself for the deafening discourse around baseball about whether that makes him the “real” single-season record holder since the three players above him on the list have been tied to performance-enhancing drugs, directly or indirectly.