Roger Maris Jr says Aaron Judge is the new holder for the most home runs in a season, not his father

Roger Maris Jr has sensationally claimed that Aaron Judge should be considered the new holder of the record for most runs in one season after being right for the milestone achieved by Roger Maris 61 years earlier.

The son of the Yankees legend, who passed away in 1985 at the age of 51, was in the stands on Wednesday when Judge equaled his father’s record set in 1961 in an emphatic 8-3 win for the Yankees against the Blue Jays. . at the Rogers Center.

“It means a lot, not just to me. I think it means a lot to a lot of people that he’s clean, he’s a Yankee, he’s playing the game the right way and I think he’s giving people a chance to watch someone who should be honored for hitting 62 home runs and not just as a guy who did it in the American League,” Maris Jr said in a post-game interview following Judge’s performance.

Judge hit his 61st home run of the season in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays

Roger Maris Sr. beat Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record in 1961 after playing 155 games for NY

“He should be honored and celebrated just like the one-season home run champion, not just like he’s the home run champion of the American league,” added Maris Jr. ‘He should be celebrated. I can’t think of anyone better to look up to baseball than Aaron Judge, the face of baseball, to actually do that.”

Maris’ 1961 home run record is seen as a controversy in the contemporary lenses, as the previous single-season home run record – 60 – set by Babe Ruth in 1927 was set in a time period when the league was full at 154 games. schedule for all 30 MLB teams.

Before Maris broke Ruth’s record, the schedule for American League teams had been changed to 62 games. Maris also hit his 61st home run in the final game of the season, sparking skepticism about the legitimacy of his record.

The controversy over the record didn’t stop there, though, as both Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds topped the milestone, hitting 73 and 70 home runs in 1998 and 2001, respectively, before both players were found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs.

‘I do. I think most people do,” Maris Jr said when asked if he disqualifies Bonds and McGwire’s performance when it comes to his father’s record.

Jury Celebrated with Teammates After Reaching Maris Milestone at Rogers Center in Toronto

Maris Jr agreed that Barry Bonds’ 2001 record of 71 home runs should be considered illegal

The league has stated on previous occasions that it considers Bonds’ record of 73 home runs to be the official ceiling. The now-retired batter achieved the feat while playing for the San Francisco Giants.

MLB’s attitude will not hinder Maris Jr as he considers Judge to be the real record breaker. In fact, he was present at each of the last nine Yankees games and saw Judge hit 60 successfully against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 20.

However, the two individuals didn’t meet until Wednesday night, when Judge finally turned 61. They first met at the Yankees clubhouse after Maris Jr sat right next to Judge’s mother, Patty, at the game.

The philosophy was, ‘Let Aaron do what Aaron does, try to hit the home runs and not be a distraction,’ said Maris Jr. “Obviously the Yankees are trying to get into the playoffs… I didn’t want to meet him until he actually hit the home run.”

It took time and patience to break the record as Judge was winless for the past seven games, his second longest drought in a single season.

“Aaron drives us from country to country to watch him turn 61,” Maris Jr joked. “It’s been a little crazy. It seemed like every time he comes to bat it’s 3-2 so we get to sit there and just [deal with] anticipation of anticipation, pitch after pitch after pitch.’

Funnily enough, in the top of the seventh inning, Judge hit a 210 km/h homerun over the left field wall, while Tim Mayza of the Blue Jays went 3-2.

“The ironic thing was that it’s the ninth day I’m here,” said Maris Jr. “He wears 99, my dad wore 9. It’s just kind of weird how it all went together.”

Maris Jr sat next to Judge’s mother, Patty, who hugged her son after Wednesday’s game

Now, Judge will focus on breaking Maris’ 61 homerun-record and will have the opportunity to do so on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles in New York.

“Now I’m thinking, ‘Okay, we’re going to Yankee Stadium and he’ll probably be 62 on October 1, when dad turns 61,'” said Maris Jr. weird similarities.’

However, the son of the Yankees legend does not expect a similar drought for the occasion.

“I don’t think it’s going to take very long,” Maris Jr said. “I think he’s loose. I think it’s party [for officially winning the AL on Tuesday]The party, I think, loosened him up. After he hit that home run and came to hit the next time you could see his face, I mean, he hit another seed. You can tell he’s back and ready to go.”

“I think it’s going to happen in New York and it’s where you want it to happen. It’s where I want it to happen,” he added emphatically. “New York City deserves it, the fans deserve it. I think it will be great for baseball if it happens in New York. As I said to Aaron, “Go to New York and hit 62 and hit the top of Yankee Stadium.” It will be fun.’

Maris Jr also called out how proud his father would have been for Judge if he were alive today to see his record equalized and possibly broken. The legendary Yankees batter would have been 88 years old.

“Of course he would be very proud of Aaron for the way he carries himself, the way he comes to the stadium mentally and physically prepared every day,” said Maris Jr. “It’s all about teamwork. It’s all about winning, and the focus on winning a championship and bringing a world championship.”