Yankees’ Aaron Judge on home run king: ‘Seventy-three is the record’

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

As New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge inches closer to breaking the American League single-season home run record, a debate is brewing. 

For years, fans of baseball have argued over the single-season home run record, with Barry Bonds’ 73 and Mark McGwire’s 70 home runs coming during a time dubbed the "steroid era." 

Aaron Judge, #99 of the New York Yankees, hits his 50th home run of the season against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 29, 2022, in Anaheim, California. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Since Major League Baseball started testing for performance-enhancing substances in 2003, no player has hit more than 60 home runs in a season, raising the question of whether Roger Maris’ 61 home runs is the real record to beat. 

AARON JUDGE DESERVES AL MVP OVER SHOHEI OHTANI, VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR SAYS

Judge doesn’t believe this to be the case. 

"Seventy-three is the record," Judge told Sports Illustrated. "In my book. No matter what people want to say about that era of baseball, for me, they went out there and hit 73 homers and 70 homers, and that to me is what the record is. The AL record is 61, so that is one I can kind of try to go after. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it’s been a fun year so far."

Aaron Judge, #99 of the New York Yankees, in action against Vladimir Guerrero Jr., #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays, at Yankee Stadium on April 13, 2022, in New York City. The Blue Jays defeated the Yankees 6-4. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

It’s been a banner year for Judge, whose performance sits at 57 home runs through 143 games. He’ll undoubtedly be named the American League MVP and