One thing is certain after Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run of the season Tuesday—the American League has a new home run king.
The blast lifted Judge past another famous Yankees outfielder, Roger Maris, giving him sole possession of the AL record.
However, that mark was exceeded six times in the National League during the heyday of the steroid era. Barry Bonds set the MLB record of 73 in 2001. Mark McGwire hit 70 in ’98 and 65 in ’99. Sammy Sosa hit 66 in ’98, 64 in ’01 and 63 in ’99.
By being associated with performance-enhancing drugs, the feats of Bonds, McGwire and Sosa are discredited by some fans who view their accomplishments as tainted.
After Judge connected Tuesday night off Rangers pitcher Jesus Tinoco, some observers debated the identity of the rightful home run king on social media.
More MLB Coverage:
- Shohei Ohtani Deserves to Win AL MVP Over Aaron Judge
- Phillies Beat Astros to Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2011
- White Sox’s Tony La Russa Announces He Is Stepping Down
For more New York Yankees coverage, go to Inside The Pinstripes.
