🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
It was hard to imagine anyone — especially a catcher — challenging Aaron Judge’s American League home run record three years ago.
What Seattle Mariners All-Star Cal Raleigh is doing this year has redefined what’s possible from the catching position on offense. Coming into the year, Salvador Perez’s 48 home runs in 2021 were a single-season record for primary catchers.
Raleigh just hit his 50th on Monday.
The New York Yankees superstar hit 62 in 2022, so Raleigh is just off the pace Judge was setting when he toppled Roger Maris’ mark of 61 in 1961. The “Big Dumper” is chasing history, and Judge is aware of it from across the country.
On Monday, Judge reacted to Raleigh’s 50th homer, and was nothing but complimentary of his American League All-Star teammate.
“Cal Raleigh is a great guy and a great ambassador for the game,” Judge said, per Dan Martin and Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. “I love watching him do his thing.”
However, Judge quickly shut down the notion of “rooting” for Raleigh to break his record, and with good reason.
“We’re in a fight for the wild card and the division. I’m not pulling for anyone to do anything that’s not the Yankees,” Judge quipped, per Martin and Sanchez.
While Judge would surely be gracious about Raleigh beating his mark, the fact is that their teams were within a half-game of each other in the standings at the conclusion of play on Monday night.
Perhaps there will be a playoff sequel to the eventual conclusion of Raleigh’s chase for 62.
More MLB: Blue Jays Make Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Announcement After Dramatic Return
Read the full article here
