Connect with us

Published

on

Baseball history is on the horizon as Aaron Judge tied Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs with seven games remaining in the season.

The New York Yankees outfielder came one step closer to breaking the record Wednesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays. Judge has had an outstanding season at the plate, batting .314 and logging 130 RBIs. He is one of the reasons New York is among MLB’s elite this season.

Judge needs only one home run to break Maris’ 1961 record — a mark that has stood for six decades and, until Mark McGwire hit 70 in 1998, was the single-season MLB record.

Judge’s quest to reach 62 has captivated the baseball world. We are tracking every home run he hits from now until the end of the season.

Here’s where Judge stands in his chase for MLB history.

All-time single-season home run list

1. Barry Bonds, 73 (2001)
2. Mark McGwire, 70 (1998)
3. Sammy Sosa, 66 (1998)
4. Mark McGwire, 65 (1999)
5. Sammy Sosa, 64 (2001)
6. Sammy Sosa, 63 (1999)
T-7. Roger Maris, 61 (1961)
T-7. Aaron Judge, 61 (2022)
9. Babe Ruth, 60 (1927)
T-10. Babe Ruth, 59 (1921)
T-10. Giancarlo Stanton, 59 (2017)

Aaron Judge’s next games:

Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET vs. BAL (facing Austin Voth)

Saturday, 1:05 p.m. ET vs. BAL (facing Jordan Lyles)

Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET vs. BAL (facing Kyle Bradish)

Home run No. 61

After several days (and many walks) without a home run, Judge tied Roger Maris’ 61-year-old record in the seventh inning of Wednesday night’s game against the Blue Jays. Judge smacked a 394-foot shot to left field off Tim Mayza. Perhaps fittingly, his record-tying home run exited his bat at 117.4 mph — his hardest-hit home run of the season, according to Statcast tracking data.

Home run No. 60

With Maris’ sons Roger Jr. and Kevin looking on at Yankee Stadium, Judge launched his 60th home run of the season deep into left field off Pirates pitcher Wil Crowe. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Judge is the first player to hit his 60th of the season out of the leadoff spot and the first to do it out of any spot other than third or fourth. Shortly after Judge hit his 60th, Giancarlo Stanton smacked a game-winning walk-off grand slam to rally the Yankees from an 8-4 deficit in the ninth.

Home run No. 59

On a 1-2 count, Judge took Angel Perdomo 443 feet to left field for his second home run of the game. He now holds the all-time AL record for home runs by a right-handed hitter, and is one dinger from tying Babe Ruth for second all time in AL history.

Home run No. 58

Judge took a third-pitch sinker 414 feet to right field off Jason Alexander for his 58th home run of the season. He has now tied Hank Greenberg and Jimmie Foxx for the AL record for most home runs by a right-handed batter.

Home run No. 57

Judge launched a 389-foot home run over the Green Monster, off Garrett Whitlock. It’s his 10th multi-home run game of the season, which ties him with Alex Rodriguez and Jimmie Foxx for the second-most in American League history. Only Hank Greenberg has more, with 11.

Home run No. 56

Judge poked a 383-foot homer just over the right field wall at Fenway Park off Nick Pivetta. According to ESPN Stats and Information research, Judge’s 56 home runs are the fourth-most by a Yankee in a single season in franchise history, trailing only Roger Maris’ 61 home runs in 1961 and Babe Ruth’s 60 home runs in 1927 and 59 home runs in 1921.

Home run No. 55

Judge hit a 374-foot home run to left field off Louie Varland on Wednesday afternoon. It’s the second time in his career he’s hit a home run in at least four consecutive games. Judge is now on pace for 65 home runs, assuming he plays the rest of the Yankees’ 26 games.

Home run No. 54

Judge hit a two-run home run to left field off Trevor Megill, breaking a 2-2 tie and proving to be the difference in a 5-2 win. This ties him with Alex Rodriguez for most home runs in a season by a right-handed hitter in New York Yankees history.

Home run No. 53

Leading off the game, Judge needed only two pitches before taking Shawn Armstrong 450 feet to left field. It’s Judge’s new career high in home runs. He’s on pace for 66 home runs, which would tie Sammy Sosa for third-most in MLB history.

Home run No. 52

In the top of the ninth inning against the Rays, Judge launched a 392-foot dinger off of a Jason Adam changeup for his 52nd homer, matching his career high from 2017.

Home run No. 51

Judge took a fastball into center field off Angels starter Mike Mayers. He is now tied with Maris for most home runs before September in Yankees history.

Home run No. 50

Judge launched a 1-1 curveball off Jose Quijada to center field for his 50th home run of the year. He’s the first Yankees player with 50 HR before September since Roger Maris in 1961. It’s also his second 50-home run season in his career. He’s the third Yankees player to record multiple 50-HR seasons, joining Babe Ruth (4) & Mickey Mantle (2). He’s on pace for 63 home runs this season.

Continue Reading

Sports

Ichiro shows funny side, joins CC, Wagner in HOF

Published

on

By

Ichiro shows funny side, joins CC, Wagner in HOF

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese-born player to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, one of five new members of baseball’s hallowed institution.

After enduring the baseball tradition known as a rain delay, the five speeches went off without a hitch as the deluge subsided and the weather became hot and humid. Joining Suzuki were pitchers CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, and sluggers Dick Allen and Dave Parker, both of whom were enshrined posthumously.

“For the third time, I am a rookie,” Suzuki said, delivering his comments in English despite his long preference for conducting his public appearances in Japanese with the aid of an interpreter.

For the American audience, this provided a rare glimpse into Suzuki’s playful side. Teammates long spoke of his sense of humor behind the closed doors of the clubhouse — something the public rarely saw — but it was on full display Sunday.

When Hall voting was announced, Suzuki fell one vote shy of becoming the second unanimous selection for the Hall. He thanked the writers for their support — with an exception.

“Three-thousand [career] hits or 262 hits in one season are achievements recognized by the writers,” Suzuki said. “Except, oh, one of you.”

After the laughter subsided, Suzuki mentioned the gracious comments he made when balloting results were announced, when he offered to invite the writer who didn’t vote for him home for dinner to learn his reasoning. Turns out, it’s too late.

“The offer to the one writer to have dinner at my home has now … expired!” Suzuki said.

Suzuki’s attention to detail and unmatched work ethic have continued into the present day, more than five years since he played his last big league game. That was central to his message Sunday, at least when he wasn’t landing a joke.

“If you consistently do the little things, there’s no limit to what you can achieve,” Suzuki said. “Look at me. I’m 5-11 and 170 pounds. When I came to America, many people said I was too skinny to compete with bigger major leaguers.”

After becoming one of the biggest stars in Japanese baseball, hitting .353 over nine seasons for the Orix BlueWave, Suzuki exploded on the scene as a 27-year-old rookie for the Seattle Mariners, batting .350 and winning the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.

Chants of “Ichiro!” that once were omnipresent at Mariners games erupted from the crowd sprawled across the grounds of the complex while the all-time single-season hits leader (262 in 2004) posed with his plaque alongside commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark.

Despite his late start in MLB, Suzuki finished with 3,089 hits in the majors and 4,367 including his time in Japan. Suzuki listed some of his feats, such as the hit total, and his 10 Gold Gloves.

“Not bad,” he said.

Sabathia’s weekend got off to a mildly rough start when his wife’s car broke down shortly after the family caravan departed for Cooperstown. They arrived in plenty of time though, and Sabathia was greeted warmly by numerous Yankees fans who made the trip.

After breaking in with Cleveland at age 20, Sabathia rocketed to stardom with a 17-5 rookie season. Alas, that came in 2001, the same year that Suzuki landed in the American League.

“Thank you most of all to the great players sitting behind me,” Sabathia said. “I am so proud and humbled to join you as a Hall of Famer, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year Award in 2001.”

Sabathia focused the bulk of his comments on the support he has received over the years from his friends and family, especially his wife, Amber.

“The first time we met was at a house party when I was a junior in high school,” Sabathia said. “We spent the whole night talking, and that conversation has been going on for 29 years.”

Parker, 74, died from complications of Parkinson’s disease on June 28, less than a month before the induction ceremony. Representing him at the dais was his son, Dave Parker II, and though the moment was bittersweet, it was hardly somber.

Parker II finished the speech with a moving poem written by his father that, for a few minutes, made it feel as if the player nicknamed “The Cobra” were present.

“Thanks for staying by my side,” Parker’s poem concluded. “I told y’all Cooperstown would be my last rap, so the star of Dave will be in the sky tonight. Watch it glow. But I didn’t lie in my documentary — I told you I wouldn’t show.”

Parker finished with 2,712 hits and 339 homers, won two Gold Gloves on the strength of his legendary right-field arm and was named NL MVP in 1978. He spent his first 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and entered the Hall representing the Bucs.

Wagner, whose 422 career saves ranks eighth on the all-time list, delivered an emotional but humorous speech about a small-town guy with a small-for-a-pitcher 5-foot-10 stature who made it big.

“I feel like my baseball life has come full circle,” Wagner said. “I was a fan before I could play. Back when baseball wasn’t so available on TV, every Saturday morning I watched Johnny Bench and so many of the other greats on a show ‘The Baseball Bunch.'”

In one of the moments of baseball serendipity that only Cooperstown can provide, the telecast flashed to Bench, sitting a few feet away from where Wagner was speaking.

Allen’s widow, Willa, delivered a touching tribute to her late husband, who died in 2020 after years of feeling overlooked for his outstanding career. The 1964 NL Rookie of the Year for the Phillies, Allen won the 1972 AL MVP for the Chicago White Sox.

“Baseball was his first love,” Willa said. “He used to say, ‘I’d have played for nothing,’ and I believe he meant it. But of course, if you compare today’s salary, he played almost for nothing.”

Willa focused on the softer side of a player who in his time was perhaps unfairly characterized for a contentious relationship with the media.

“He was devoted to people, not just fans, but especially his teammates,” Willa said. “If he heard someone was sick or going through a tough time, he’ll turn to me and say, ‘Willa, they have to hear from us.'”

Continue Reading

Sports

Braves get starting pitcher Fedde from Cardinals

Published

on

By

Braves get starting pitcher Fedde from Cardinals

The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran starting pitcher Erick Fedde from the St. Louis Cardinals for a player to be named later or cash, both teams announced Sunday.

As part of the deal, the Cardinals will cover the majority of what remains of Fedde’s $7.5 million salary for 2025, a source told ESPN.

Fedde, 32, is a free agent at season’s end, making him a surprising pickup for a Braves team that was swept by the Texas Rangers over the weekend and is 16 games below .500, trailing the first-place New York Mets by 16½ games.

But the Braves have sustained a slew of injuries to their starting rotation of late, with AJ Smith-Shawver (torn ulnar collateral ligament), Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow), Chris Sale (fractured ribcage) and, more recently, Grant Holmes (elbow inflammation) landing on the injured list since the start of June.

Fedde reestablished himself in South Korea in 2023, parlaying a dominant season into a two-year, $15 million contract to return stateside with the Chicago White Sox. Fedde continued that success in 2024, posting a 3.30 ERA in 177⅓ innings with the White Sox and Cardinals.

This year, though, it has been a struggle for a crafty right-hander who doesn’t generate a lot of strikeouts. Twenty starts in, Fedde is 3-10 with a 5.22 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.

Continue Reading

Sports

Dodgers go to 6-man rotation amid Ohtani return

Published

on

By

Dodgers go to 6-man rotation amid Ohtani return

BOSTON — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is expected to start on the mound Wednesday as he continues his buildup from elbow surgery that kept him from pitching all last season.

Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday before the Dodgers faced the Boston Red Sox in the finale of their three-game series that the plan is for Ohtani to work four innings at Cincinnati, with an off day to recover before hitting in a game.

With the Japanese superstar working his way back along with left-hander Blake Snell, who pitched 4⅔ innings on Saturday in his fourth rehab start for Triple-A Oklahoma City, the Dodgers will be using a six-man rotation.

They currently have Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Emmet Sheehan in the rotation.

“Shohei is going to go on Wednesday and then he’ll probably pitch the following Wednesday, so that probably lends itself to the six-man,” Roberts said.

In Ohtani’s last start, he allowed one run and four hits in three innings against Minnesota on July 22. He struck out three and walked one, throwing 46 pitches, 30 for strikes.

Roberts said this season is sort of a rehab year in the big leagues and doesn’t foresee the team extending Ohtani’s workload deep into games for a while.

“I think this whole year on the pitching side is sort of rehab, maintenance,” he said. “We’re not going to have the reins off where we’re going to say: ‘Hey you can go 110 pitches.’ I don’t see that happening for quite some time. I think that staying at four [innings] for a bit, then build up to five and we’ll see where we can go from there.”

Continue Reading

Trending