Aaron Judge isn’t chasing history, he is defining it. Every time he steps into the diamond, he inches closer to creating home run records, and this Wednesday the game was no different. The New York Yankees were up against the Cleveland Guardian, and they won by a whopping 8-1 score. Aaron Judge was in his element, hitting two home runs and bringing his tally to 49! Of course, he had his partner in crime, Juan Soto, who also homered once and drove in five runs.

Judge’s numbers currently are skyrocketing and he’s doing things the baseball world hasn’t witnessed since the time of Ted Williams. With a batting average north of .330, a slugging percentage of .722, and a whopping 47 home runs through 127 games in 2024, Judge has become the heartbeat of the team. Plus, he is reaching the level of Williams without modern gimmicks and shortcuts, just through hard work. One would think Aaron Judge would be thrilled with the results, but he is far from satisfied! 

What drives Aaron Judge?

After the game, the reporters flocked around the Yankees captain, asking him what drives him, and what’s his approach to delivering as stellar as that was. And his answer highlighted a relentless mindset and reminded us that – learning never stops. Aaron Judge said, “Until I take the jersey off my back, I want to try to get better every single year and do whatever I can to help the Yankees win a World Series. That’s why I’m here. I try to never be satisfied. This game’s given me a lot, and I’ve got to try to give my all to the game.” So what’s next for this powerhouse?

With the way Aaron Judge’s been slugging, he’s gonna try to shatter his 62-home run record. This record is a benchmark in the AL for the most home runs in a single season. It highlights what Nestor Cortes said about him, “every time he was up, it was either a homer or a walk” — and this is exactly what happened this game. 

Meanwhile, Juan Soto couldn’t help but bust a little move near first base after drawing a one-out walk in the third inning. He saw Judge hanging Cantillo curveball soaring into the right field seats. After the game, Juan Soto was all praises for his captain, “His power; he’s just incredible. And the consistency that he has, I think that’s one of the things I admire most. It doesn’t matter if the game is 10 runs up or 10 runs down. He’s going to take a great at-bat and try to do damage to the other team.”

This was the 11th time this season that the duo had homered in the same game – and they won 9 of those games. Murmurs that Aaron Judge and Soto could be presently the best-hitting duos are on and some even draw comparisons between them and — legendary Babe Ruth and Lour Gehrig! And the comparisons are not all wrong.

Could Soto and Judge Outshine Ruth and Gehrig’s Legendary Stats?

Juan Soto and Aaron Judge’s hard-hitting performances have led many to compare them with other baseball greats, particularly Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Plus, adding more to the conversation was Marcus Stroman. He says his teammates are on a higher pedestal than Ruth and Gehrig! While there are several seasons where Ruth and Gehrig have done exceptional–1927, was their best season ever.

Babe Ruth’s bWAR hit an impressive 12.6, while Gehrig followed closely with 11.8, and combined they had a bWAR of 24.4. Ruth blasted 60 homers, batted .356, and compiled 192 hits, with 165 RBIs and 158 runs to his name. Gehrig was just as remarkable, hitting .373 with 218 hits, 47 home runs, 173 RBIs, and 149 runs. Together, they clenched 107 home runs that season! Meanwhile, Aaron Judge and Soto have a combined home run of 81. They are on the pace to get the bWARs of 11.0 and 9.1 respectively, meaning combined, it would be 19.1. So, they haven’t quite matched as of yet to the legendary duo of Babe Ruth and Gehrig. But can Soto and Judge break their record? 

While they can, a major roadblock could come their way since Juan Soto’s contract expires soon. Moreover, the talks about how the Yanks don’t have the payroll to retain Juan Soto are making the rounds. Adding more drama is Soto’s agent himself, who is renowned for prioritizing financial gain over team loyalty, is fueling speculation.

Do you think Soto will remain with Aaron Judge? He was all praises for him after all! If there are, then record-breaking performances are for sure to be expected, given they play as they are playing now. And as Judge said, he is never satisfied and always chasing!