Angels News: Shohei Ohtani is On Pace to Break Aaron Judge’s AL Home Run Record
Another week, another newspaper's worth of headlines about Shohei Ohtani's all-time greatness. On Sunday, Ohtani hit his sixth homer of the week in the Angels' 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Currently, Ohtani is on track to beat Aaron Judge's AL home run record set in 2022. In 86 games, Ohtani has hit 31 home runs, while Judge took 89 games to reach the same mark.
Judge hit 62 home runs last season, breaking a 60-year-old record set by New York Yankee Roger Maris in 1961. Previously, Babe Ruth held the record, breaking his own record three times.
Ohtani is an overwhelming favorite to win AL MVP thanks to his dominant performance at both the plate and the mound. Along with his 31 home runs, Ohtani is batting at a .306/.390/.670 split with 45 RBI. (3.9 WAR)
As a pitcher, Ohtani holds a 3.02 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He trails only two pitchers in total strikeouts thrown. Ohtani's combined wins above replacement between the two positions is a whopping 6.6.
To surpass Judge's home run record while also holding the title of one of the best pitchers in baseball in the same season would be, in a word, ridiculous. But at this point, that's to be expected from Ohtani, who is assuredly the best player in the game today.
Holding the AL home run record would also be yet another argument for Ohtani to sign one of the biggest contracts in sports history once he hits free agency after the 2023 season. Only teams willing to spend a bag should be calling Ohtani's agent, and the Angels must do everything they can before the season ends to prove to Ohtani that they can be regulars in the postseason.
Ohtani has yet to decide whether he will participate in the Home Run Derby, but it seems that this entire season is his personal Home Run Derby and we are lucky to bear witness.
