"Jersey hits 34 home runs and 85 RBIs in the first half. I expected it.'Wells, amazing accuracy...But there's still one game left
Jul 14, 2024
|
|
Judge hit two hits, one RBI and two runs from four times at bat, including a home run, in an away game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards Oriole Park on the 14th (Korea time).
Judge hit a solo home run in the middle of the fifth inning after one out in the top of the fifth inning, trailing 5-1. At the ball count of 2B2S, right-hander Grayson Rodriguez's 84.1 mile changeup falling into the middle of the fifth pitch was rolled up and connected with a solo shot well over the middle fence.
The parabolic ball flew at a launch angle of 37 degrees and a batting speed of 112.9 miles and fell after hitting the wall behind the fence that read 410 feet in the middle of Oriole Park. It was his 34th home run of the season with a flying distance of 431 feet.
Judge, who drew the arch for two consecutive days, became the Yankees' record for the most home runs before the All-Star break. He broke the 33 set by Roger Maris in 1961 and himself in 2022.
Overall, it is tied for seventh place in all time. Earlier, Barry Bonds (39) in 2001, Chris Davis (37) in 2013, Reggie Jackson (37) in 1969, Mark Maguire (37) in 2001, Lewis Gonzalez (35) in 2001, Ken Griffey Jr. (35) in 1998, and Frank Howard (34) in 1969 hit more than 34 home runs in the first half.
The Yankees end the first half of the game against Baltimore on the 15th. In other words, there is still one game left.
Before Judge hit a home run, front hitter Juan Soto also hit a superior line drive solo shot. It is the second time that the two players have hit a back-to-back home run since Soto wore a Yankees uniform in December last year, following an away game against the San Diego Padres on May 25.
|
At this rate, Judge, who can hit 57 home runs this season, was hoping after the game "but the team won many games while hitting 34 home runs. That's enough. I'm not interested in personal records. I just try to win the team."
However, there is a Yankees colleague who expected Judge to hit 34 home runs and 85 RBIs in the first half, drawing attention. It's catcher Austin Wells. After the game, he said "It was around the end of April. It was my expectation from Judge's record until then"It's a really hard number to believe. "When I see his batting in the dugout, I can't put it into words."
Wells hit a superior three-run homer in the top of the first inning to lead the team to a 6-1 victory.
As of today, Judge has a batting average of 0.308 (105 hits in 342 at-bats), 34 home runs, 85 RBIs, 73 runs, 70 walks, an on-base percentage of 0.431, a slugging percentage of 0.683 OPS of 1.114, 59 long hits, and 233 hits. Combining the two leagues, they maintained first place in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, OPS, slugging, and Rutta.
jhno@sportschosun.com
