Yankees Tandem Fell Shy of Catching Mariners Stars in Baseball History in First Half
![Alex Rodriguez warms up with shortstop (right) Derek Jeter and outfielder (center) Ken Griffey Jr. during practice at Chase Field in 2006. Alex Rodriguez warms up with shortstop (right) Derek Jeter and outfielder (center) Ken Griffey Jr. during practice at Chase Field in 2006.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2384,h_1341,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_mariners/01j31t6e5qdrhxy5ttze.jpg)
New York Yankees stars Juan Soto and Aaron Judge had an incredible first half of the season, but they still failed to catch Seattle Mariners legends Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in baseball history.
Per @OptaSTATS on social media:
AL All-Star starters Aaron Judge & Juan Soto of the @Yankees have combined for 57 HR this season.
In MLB history, only two duos have had more HR at the break: Ken Griffey Jr. & Alex Rodriguez for the 1998 Mariners (62) and Roger Maris & Mickey Mantle for the 1961 Yankees (62).
AL All-Star starters Aaron Judge & Juan Soto of the @Yankees have combined for 57 HR this season.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 16, 2024
In MLB history, only two duos have had more HR at the break: Ken Griffey Jr. & Alex Rodriguez for the 1998 Mariners (62) and Roger Maris & Mickey Mantle for the 1961 Yankees (62). pic.twitter.com/U4p3qmCcZH
From an offensive perspective, that 1998 team was incredible for the Mariners. Griffey Jr. finished that year with an American League-best 56 homers, finishing fourth in the MVP voting. He also put up a massive 146 RBI that season. He was an All-Star as well, one of 13 seasons in which he made an All-Star team. He also won the Home Run Derby for the second of his three times, which is a record.
Rodriguez put up a big season that year as well, hitting .310 with 42 homers, 124 RBI and 46 stolen bases. Despite those huge numbers, he finished ninth in the MVP voting. Though that Mariners team had Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez and Jay Buhner as well, they still only finished 76-85 and finished third in the American League West. Johnson was traded to the Houston Astros in that season. The Mariners didn't make the playoffs again until 2000, after Griffey Jr. had also left via trade.
As for the modern-day Mariners, they'll open up the second half of the season on Friday night against the Houston Astros at 7:10 p.m. PT.
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