Aaron Judge is legitimately having a Ruthian season.
In fact, he’s on pace to break one of Babe Ruth’s most incredible MLB records.
The New York Yankees’ current superstar could end the season with more total bases than Ruth had in his still untouched 1921 season.
Judge is on pace for 466 total bases this season, according to MLB.com.
Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees
On pace for: 466 total basesJudge entered Saturday leading either the AL or all of MLB in a whopping 14 offensive categories. While staying close to a .400 batting average is understandably getting most of the buzz, perhaps we should be equally amazed at another column: total bases — because that’s where the Yankees slugger could really make history in 2025.
Judge is on pace for 466 total bases, which would break the all-time single-season record of 457 set by Babe Ruth in 1921. But even if Judge ultimately falls short of Ruth’s record, he could still finish with a historic total. Nobody has even had 420 or more total bases since Sammy Sosa had 425 in 2001. Nobody had reached 400 at all since 2001 until Shohei Ohtani got to 411 total bases last season. The 392 Judge had in 2024 were his career high.
The key to a high number of total bases is extra-base hits, and Judge is stocking that cupboard nicely so far. He’s on pace for 55 homers, 42 doubles and six triples. But he’s getting plenty of singles, too, which is why he’s on pace for a career-high 246 hits (his previous high is 180). Given Judge’s torrid start, even a mild cooldown could allow him to finish well north of 400 total bases. But as of now, he could very well threaten or conquer an unsung record held by the most storied Yankee of all time.
— Jason Foster
Ruth holds the single-season record at 457.
“Nobody has even had 420 or more total bases since Sammy Sosa had 425 in 2001,” writes MLB.com’s Jason Foster. “Nobody had reached 400 at all since 2001 until Shohei Ohtani got to 411 total bases last season. The 392 Judge had in 2024 were his career high.”
Judge’s pace in his extra-base hits would have him end up with 55 homers, 42 doubles and six triples. He’s also pacing for a career-high 246 hits.
The 6-foot-7 all-time great would likely have to finish pretty darn close to a .400 average to actually reach this Ruthian total.
But at this point, who’s betting against Judge?
In that 1921 season, Ruth had 44 doubles, 16 triples, 59 home runs and 95 singles. He batted .378 with a .512 on-base percentage and .846 slugging.
The fact that Judge is even in the conversation with a legendary season by the game’s first larger-than-life figure? That’s incredible.