St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols and New York Yankees’ right fielder Aaron Judge intend to make this week memorable for home runs. Pujols is on pace to hit 700 home runs, while Judge hit his 58th and 59th this week.
Pujols now has 698 home runs in his career, following a 12-game home run streak that began on August 10. Pujols has hit nine of his 12 home runs against left-handed pitchers. And he has hit four of his 12 home runs on first pitches.
Pujols’ average exit velocity against left-handed pitchers is 96.8 mph. Based on his contact quality, his predicted slugging percentage against lefties is.950. Before August 10 of this season, Pujols’ first-pitch swing rate in 2022 was 18%, which was consistent with previous seasons. It has increased aggressiveness by 28%.
Pujols, who is going to retire at the end of the season, will be the fourth major leaguer to reach 700 home runs joining Barry Bonds (762), Henry Aaron (755), and Babe Ruth (714). The Cardinals’ next eight games are on the road against the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers.
Judge’s 59th homer
The 30-year-old Judge went on to hit two more home runs, a double, and a single, driving in four runs against the Brewers on Sunday, bringing his season total to 59, putting him on the verge of becoming only the sixth player in history to hit 60 or more home runs in a season.
Judge dismissed his own role in the Yankees’ 12-8 victory over the Brewers, saying, “We’ve got some big games coming up. That’s really the only thing on my mind right now.”
“The numbers, they’re just numbers. I’m focused on doing what I can to be a good teammate and help the team win. If that means hitting a homer, it means hitting a homer, but it’s never been my focus.” he said.
He’s now two home runs shy of Roger Maris’ AL record of 61, although very likely to surpass Barry Bonds’ major league record of 73 but he is still just two batting average points away from leading the league in all three Triple Crown categories.
The outfielder currently leads above Kyle Schwarber, who is second in the majors, by 20 home runs. Nobody has led baseball in home runs by at least 20, and no one has had more than 31 since Babe Ruth finished with 54 in 1928.
“It should be really special,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, we’re in a pennant chase, and Judge is sitting where he is. There’s going to be added buzz every time he comes up. I experienced that in the NL Central playing against Sammy [Sosa] and [Mark] McGwire in ’98. Every time, it’s an event.”
Unlike Pujols, his 59 home runs are the most by a right-handed batter in AL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information. On Sunday, he nearly doubled his September line .491 batting average, .586 on-base percentage, and 1.018 slugging percentage. His season line is now.316/.419/.701.
Judge also became the first player in the league’s ball-tracking era to hit five batted balls that traveled at least 110 mph. He has contributed more to his team’s success than anyone else, and according to FanGraphs, he is on the verge of recording his 47th season with more than 10 Wins Above Replacement. The Yankees now have a 512-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.
The star player will now return to Yankee Stadium for the next six home games, two against the Pittsburgh Pirates and four against the Boston Red Sox.