Shohei Otani Surpasses Aaron Judge in AL Home Run Race
In a surprising turn of events, pitcher Shohei Otani of the Los Angeles Angels has taken the lead in the American League home run reign, surpassing last season’s record-breaking performance by outfielder Aaron Judge. Otani has smashed an impressive 44 home runs, holding a nine-home run lead over second baseman Louis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox. This achievement is even more remarkable considering Judge, who hit a staggering 62 home runs last season, has only managed 29 so far.
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However, Judge has endured a challenging season, plagued by injuries since last year. On April 26th (27th Japan time), he sustained a right hip joint injury while sliding into third base, resulting in a stint on the 10-day injured list (IL). Although he made a quick return and briefly held the title of home run leader, a collision with the fence on June 3rd (4th) forced him to sit out until July 28th (29th) due to a ligament tear.
In 79 games this season, Judge has maintained a decent performance with a batting average of .263, 29 home runs, and 56 RBIs. Despite not reaching the remarkable numbers of his previous season, he has managed to uphold a high OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 1.007. Notably, when adjusted to a 162-game pace, Judge’s home run total reaches an impressive “59”, edging out Otani’s “54”. This pace is reminiscent of the historic records set last season. Will we witness a fierce competition between these two powerhouses next year?
(Full Account editorial section)
The home run pace converted in 162 games is “59”, surpassing Ohtani’s “54”.
Pitcher Shohei Otani of the Angels hit 44 home runs in the American League home run reign, leading the league with nine, ahead of second baseman Louis Robert Jr. (White Sox). Meanwhile, outfielder Aaron Judge (Yankees), who hit 62 home runs last season and made AL history, has just 29.
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The judge has had a difficult season since last season. On April 26th (27th Japan time), he slid into third base and injured his right hip joint, and was placed on the 10-day injured list (IL). He immediately returned and ran alone as the home run king for a while, but on June 3rd (4th), he crashed into the fence. This time, he was out until July 28 (29th) due to a ligament tear.
263 batting average with 29 homers and 56 RBI in 79 games so far this season. It can be seen that although he did not leave impact figures, he maintained a high level of OPS of 1.007. Moreover, the home run pace converted in 162 games is “59”, which is more than Otani’s “54”. It’s almost the same as last season’s historic pace. Will we see a dead heat between these two next season?
(Full Account editorial section)
#Judge #stunning #Shohei #Otani
