Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani is on a mission in 2023, seemingly making some form of MLB history virtually every time he steps onto the field.
Through L.A.’s first 96 games, the two-way star has mashed 35 home runs, putting him on pace to approach Aaron Judge’s American League home run record of 62, which the Yankees slugger set last season.
Judge, who is currently sidelined by a toe injury, was asked about the possibility of Ohtani dethroning him so early into his tenure as the AL home run king. The 31-year-old indicated that his record is fair game, if Ohtani can pull it off.
“Records are meant to be broken,” Judge said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
Just last year, Judge surpassed Roger Maris as the American League’s record holder for home runs in a single season. Maris, who hit 61 homers in 1961, had his record broken 61 years after he set it.
Since the start of June, Ohtani has hit 20 home runs in just 39 games. He had 15 in his first 55 games of the campaign. If he can stay hot and keep putting the barrel on the ball, 62 home runs, or more, isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Judge’s efforts to defend his record have been derailed due to the aforementioned injury, which has kept him sidelined since June 3. Despite only appearing in 49 games this year, he’s managed to hit 19 home runs, which is tied for 17th in MLB.
