Aaron Judge's Scorching Start Sparks Comparisons To Historic MLB Seasons
In this story:
Another week goes by, and Aaron Judge delivers impact stats (10-for-24 with seven runs, three home runs, and seven RBIs). He is not on pace to hit .414 over 620 at-bats with 154 runs, 55 home runs, 158 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases. Despite success, his exit velocity (95.8 mph) and hard-hit rate (57.5) rank below 2024 (96.2/61.0). His rise in batting average is tied to a career low strikeout rate (20.4) and an elite contact batting average (.546).
We are witnessing one of the best starts to a season EVER from Aaron Judge 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9zLsSX2zoJ
— MLB (@MLB) May 12, 2025
In the history of Major League Baseball, only one player since 1931 has scored more than 150 runs – Jeff Bagwell (152). Ronald Acuna (149 in 2023) has the highest run output for a season among active hitters.
Here’s a list of modern-era players who drove in 150 runs or more:
- 1999 Manny Ramirez (165 – 14th)
- 2001 Sammy Sosa (160)
- 1998 Sammy Sosa (158)
- 1998 Juan Gonzalez (157)
- 2007 Alex Rodriguez (156)
- 1998 Albert Belle (152)
- 1996 Andres Galarraga (150)
- 2004 Miguel Tejada
When reviewing these RBI totals, I wanted to examine the top-run producers in 1998.
Sammy Sosa – .308 with 134 runs, 66 home runs, 158 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases over 643 at-bats
Juan Gonzalez – .318 with 110 runs, 45 home runs, 157 RBIs, and two steals over 606 at-bats
Albert Belle – .328 with 113 runs, 49 home runs, 152 RBIs, and six stolen bases over 609 at-bats
Mark McGwire – .299 with 130 runs, 70 home runs, 147 RBIs, and 147 RBIs over 509 at-bats
Ken Griffey – .284 with 120 runs, 56 home runs, 146 RBIs, and 20 steals over 633 at-bats
Manny Ramirez – .294 with 108 runs, 45 home runs, 145 RBIs, and five stolen bases over 571 at-bats
39 players scored at least 100 runs
13 players hit 40 home runs or more
42 players had 100 RBIs or more
10 players stole at least 41 bases (Ricky Henderson led the league with 66 steals).
Mark McGwire walked 162 times, followed by 130 by Barry Bonds.
Aaron Judge is on an incredible pace in 2025, which invites reflection on some of the great seasons by other players in the history of baseball.
More Fantasy Baseball News:
Atlanta Braves Slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. Begins Rehab Rehab Assignment, Eyes Mid-May Return
Braves Prospect JR Ritchie Earns AA Promotion: Fantasy Baseball Impact
Diamondbacks Stud Jordan Lawlar Promoted To Majors: Fantasy Baseball Impact
With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
Follow Shawn__Childs