Can Aaron Judge Catch Barry Bonds Record of 73 Homers?

 Aaron Judge is at it again. 

All apologies to Juan Soto who is going to command an hell of a contract on the open market this winter, but Aaron Judge is the Yankees runaway MVP, and he might be the runaway AL MVP yet again. 

Judge cracked two more home runs on Sunday afternoon, numbers 50 and 51, and is just 11 homers away from tying his own American League record from two years ago. Oh, and there is still a week to go in the month of August.

There is little doubt that Judge is going to tie his record of 62 homers, and mostly likely break it. The question is can he get to 70? Or 73? 

Aaron Judge homers on Friday. Getty Images.

 

Right now the Yankees slugger needs 22 home runs to tie the Major League mark set by controversial slugger Barry Bonds, who is still not in the Hall of Fame over suspicions he used steroids to enhance his chances to become the single season and all time home run king. 

Ironically, Bonds was inducted into the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame this weekend. 

When Bonds broke the single season home run record with his 73 home runs in 2001 it came just three years after Mark McGuire set the MLB record with 70 homers in a single season.  Both players have been remembered for their alleged steroid use more than bringing fans back to the game. Neither player is in the Hall of Fame. And chances are -- whether you agree with it or not -- likely won't get that chance. 

 

 

If Judge gets to Bonds' mark what will the reaction be? Well, we can all guess. There will be those who claims that Judge's home run mark is the true single season record. There will be those claiming Bonds and McGuire deserve a reevaluation, that, despite their steroid use, did so in an era when a lot of players were juicing. 

It's a fascinating story-line to follow in the coming weeks as the Yankees are busy trying to hold off the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Guardians from the AL East title and top seed in the American League playoffs respectively.