You probably noticed that Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are having amazing seasons with the Yankees.
Judge will stay with the Yankees for years, but Soto might leave after this season as he’s a free agent.
Together, they are carrying the team with their incredible performances.
Without Judge and Soto, the Yankees would be struggling. Their combined 2024 stats show a .314/.446/.666 slash line, while the rest of the team is hitting just .234/.302/.382.
Home Runs
Judge leads MLB with 51 home runs, aiming to break his own AL record of 62 set in 2022. Soto has hit 37 homers, putting them on track for a combined total of 108 home runs this season.
Here are some historic pairs who have hit over 100 homers in a season:
– Roger Maris (61) and Mickey Mantle (54), 1961 Yankees: 115
– Babe Ruth (60) and Lou Gehrig (47), 1927 Yankees: 107
– Barry Bonds (73) and Rich Aurilia (37), 2001 Giants: 110
– Mark McGwire (70) and Ray Lankford (31), 1998 Cardinals: 101
– Alex Rodriguez (57) and Rafael Palmeiro (43), 2002 Rangers: 100
Fans might think it’s exciting to see if Judge and Soto can join or even surpass these legendary duos.
Soto needs to catch up to reach those heights; he’s on pace for about 45 homers but could get there if he finishes strong. Judge is on track for an impressive total of around 63 home runs.
WAR
When it comes to overall value, measured by WAR, Judge leads MLB with a WAR of 9.4, while Soto is fourth at 7.5.
Only five pairs of teammates have each had a WAR over nine in one season:
– Nap Lajoie (10.0) and Terry Turner (9.3), Guardians,1906
– Babe Ruth (12.6) and Lou Gehrig (11.9), Yankees,1927
– Babe Ruth(10.2)and Lou Gehrig(9.5),Yankees ,1928
-Babe Ruth(10.5 )and Lou Gehrig(9.6 ),Yankees ,1930
-Ken Griffey Jr.(9 .7 )and Alex Rodriguez(9 .4 ),Mariners ,1996
The ’27 Yankees duo stands out with both players reaching above ten WARs! To join such elite company, Soto needs to boost his current performance slightly.
Whatever happens next, Judge and Soto have already proven themselves as one of the best duos ever in baseball history this year! Do you think they can keep it up?
