Will Aaron Judge eclipse Roger Maris' HR mark?

Aaron Judge might lead all of baseball in home runs, but a far bigger question remains: will he break Roger Maris' single-season home run total of 61? Well, guess what? You can bet on it. 

Caesars Sports has Judge's home run total set at 61.5 and is currently taking bets on the over/under. The over is set at +150, while the under is -180. If you like the over, jump on it immediately. Currently, a $100 bet on the over wins $150. If you like the under you might want to wait, since you have to bet $180 to win $100.

You may be asking yourself why this is such a big deal, and rightfully so. It's not like Maris' 61 single-season home runs is an MLB record, right? Technically, you're correct. Barry Bonds set the single-season home run record with 73 back in 2001. And both Mark McGwire (70) and Sammy Sosa (66) broke Maris' record in 1998.

All three of those players played in the steroid era, however, and each has been accused of using steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. So, for some, Maris' 61 is still viewed as "the record." Enough about the past though, let's talk about whether or not Judge will break Maris' total. 

Judge leads MLB with a HR/AB of 9.05 and is currently on pace to hit 66 home runs. That's if Judge continues to homer at this pace, and that's asking a lot. Judge didn't homer on Sunday after homering four times in the previous three games. However, Judge did receive five plate appearances, but only three counted as at-bats because he walked twice. 

With Judge scorching hot, expect to see him walk a lot more. Don't get me wrong, Judge is capable of breaking Maris' record, but he has to see enough good pitches to do it. Remember how often Bonds walked once opposing teams realized he was the best hitter in the game? Well, that's what Judge is going to experience for the remainder of the season. Opposing teams aren't going to let Judge beat them. They're going to make guys lower in the lineup, like Anthony Rizzo and Gleyber Torres, beat them.

Plus, the Yankees might not give him the best chance to break the franchise single-season record. New York has the best record in the AL and leads the AL East by a whopping 11.5 games. If the Bronx Bombers continue to play well, there's a good chance Judge doesn't play in every game, especially come September. To give New York the best chance of winning a championship, the Yanks will need Judge well rested and healthy for the postseason. That means he'll get more days off or not play entire games. 

I still expect Judge to remain the MVP favorite and see his on-base percentage skyrocket, but I don't see him breaking Maris' record. He might tie it with 61, but that's not the bet Caesars is offering. In a tough decision, I'm taking the under.

The Bet: Aaron Judge Under 61.5 Home Runs (-180) via Caesars Sportsbook

In Other News ...

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Bill Russell passes away at 88 — 11-time NBA champion Bill Russell died at the age of 88 on Sunday. The former Celtic holds the NBA Finals record for championships, appearances, games played, rebounds and minutes, and he is considered one of the greatest players in NBA history.

49ers extend Deebo Samuel — The San Francisco 49ers signed WR Deebo Samuel to a three-year, $73.5 million contract extension, including $58.1 million guaranteed. Samuel was named to the All-Pro Team last season and was in the final year of his rookie contract. 

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jared Shlensky