Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh Chase AL Home Run Record in Exciting Showdown

New York, NY — This week, baseball fans will witness an exciting matchup at Yankee Stadium as Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners face off in a critical three-game series. Both players are eyeing the season’s single-season American League home run record, making this matchup crucial for the postseason race.

As of now, Raleigh leads the American League with 35 home runs, while Judge follows closely behind with 33. The Yankees and Mariners are battling for wild-card spots, separated by just one game in the standings. With the postseason on the horizon, every home run counts.

Raleigh’s impressive performance has made history this season. Only 19 catchers have ever hit 35 home runs in a season, and he has already reached that mark by early July. If he hits no more home runs for the remainder of the year, he will still be recognized for one of the best offensive seasons by a catcher ever.

It’s interesting to note that Raleigh’s total is six more than any other catcher before the All-Star break. The all-time record for home runs before the break is 39, set by Barry Bonds in 2001. To challenge this, Raleigh has six games remaining before the break.

Judge is also on a better trajectory than in his record-setting year of 2022, where he hit 62 home runs. Currently, he is pacing at 59.4 home runs. In 2022, Judge didn’t truly ignite his home run chase until after the Yankees’ 90th game. If history repeats, fans could see a similar surge this season.

However, common sense suggests Raleigh may slow down, especially considering T-Mobile Park’s unfavorable conditions for home runs. Raleigh has more homers on the road (18) than at home (17), despite fewer games played. Additionally, the physical demands of playing catcher significantly affect performance, as he has already been behind the plate for 599 innings this season, one of the highest workloads in baseball.

Judge, on the other hand, faces the issue of pitchers intentionally walking him more often, having been walked 23 times so far this season. As teams become cautious of his power, fans could see fewer opportunities for Judge to hit home runs in the latter part of the season.

Both players are currently on a quest for greatness, with Raleigh striving for a record-setting season and Judge attempting to reclaim his AL crown. No matter the outcome, the remarkable feat of having two players, including a catcher, on the brink of history is a testament to their exceptional skill and determination.

Fans eagerly anticipate how this thrilling race for the home run record will unfold in the coming weeks.