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Aaron Judge on verge of smashing another home run record
On Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays, Aaron Judge sent a 94 MPH running sinker from Jays pitcher Jose Berrios over the left-center wall to give the New York Yankees a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning. That home run was the 298th homer of his career.
With two more home runs, the Yankees slugger will have played in the fewest games to reach 300 career homers in MLB history. And the record won't even be a close one. With a current HR/G rate of 0.37 in 2024, Judge will likely set the record in a week.
41 homers for Aaron Judge! SIXTEEN of them have come in the first inning! pic.twitter.com/zS3XP7kAMB
— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2024
The current record holder, Ralph Kiner, played in 1,087 games to reach 300 career home runs. Through August 3, Judge has played in just 945 games to reach 298 home runs in his career. That's a difference of about 3/4 of a full season worth of games.
This is not a shot at Kiner by any means. The Hall Of Famer was an offensive juggernaut in his time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. If not for a debilitating back injury, Kiner would likely have been a shoo-in to join the 500 HR club.
But this just puts how great Judge has been into perspective. And if not for the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, Judge would be well over the 300 career homer mark. The 32-year-old dinger machine is currently the heavily favored front-runner to win his second MVP in three years and boasts a .321/.452/.702 triple-slash, 41 homers and 103 RBI in 110 games played on the season.
Judge's first MVP came in his historic 2022 season, when he broke the American League single-season home run record with 62 long balls. With Judge about to smash another homer record in 2024, it feels like that second MVP is all but certain now.
More must-reads:
- Aaron Judge clubs 41st HR as Yankees bash Blue Jays
- Watch: Blue Jays resort to desperate move to pitch around Aaron Judge
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
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Royals acquire outfield help in perplexing trade with Diamondbacks
The Kansas City Royals were hoping to bolster their outfield ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. They were able to do just that in a trade on Saturday. Steve Gilbert from MLB.com reported that the Royals have acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mark Feinsand from MLB.com reported that relief pitcher Andrew Hoffman will head to Arizona in exchange for Grichuk. The Royals desperately needed help in their outfield. Royals outfielders had been the worst in the majors, posting an atrocious .219/.273/.328 batting line with just 19 home runs entering Saturday's action. Although Grichuk is in the midst of a disappointing season himself, he is an immediate upgrade over whatever the Royals have sent into the outfield. Grichuk had posted a .243/.280/.462 batting line in 186 plate appearances entering Saturday, hitting seven homers and 15 doubles. In exchange, the Diamondbacks receive Hoffman, who FanGraphs ranked as the Royals' 22nd-best prospect entering the season. His upper-90s fastball and new kick change are both considered plus offerings, although his ability to command his arsenal is questionable at best. Hoffman's potential and flaws were evident this season. He made his major league debut for the Royals, allowing six runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks over 4.2 innings, striking out five. However, Hoffman had dominated at Triple-A, posting a 3.60 ERA and a 1.125 WHiP over his 40 innings, striking out 55 batters with just 10 walks. He is another intriguing addition for a Diamondbacks team that has prioritized pitching in their two trades thus far. The same upside does not exist for the Royals. Kansas City had the same record as the Diamondbacks entering the second game of their doubleheader against the Guardians. Grichuk signed a one-year contract with $5 million guaranteed for 2025. There is a mutual option worth $5 million, with a $3 million buyout, for 2026. Theoretically, Grichuk could be part of the Royals' plans next season. However, mutual options are rarely picked up. As the Royals are currently under .500 and need to pass four teams in the standings to seize the final wild-card spot, adding a rental option does not make sense. It is possible that both sides can work out an arrangement for 2026, but unless that happens, the Royals' latest move is questionable at best.
Quinn Ewers’ Camp Performance Forces Dolphins Into Tough QB Decision
Being the backup quarterback isn't necessarily the most exciting role for anyone, but for a team like the Miami Dolphins, where starter Tua Tagovailoa has suffered four concussions since entering the NFL in 2020, it could be vital. As of now, a clear battle for that spot has formed between rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers and veteran former first-round selection Zach Wilson as they go head-to-head. Of course, training camp is where these kinds of questions can be solved, and so far, it appears that Ewers has done a good job in putting his best foot forward. On Friday, David Furones of the Sun Sentinel gave a very positive update on the young quarterback, stating, "Dolphins rookie QB Quinn Ewers had a strong third practice of training camp. Made several impressive, big-time throws." The update sparked conversations among many fans, both supporting Ewers and a serious showing that there's interest in seeing who comes out on top. "Show ‘em, Quinn," said one comment. "He just does a lot of things (anticipatory throws, timing throws, MOTF accuracy, etc.) that fit this system much better than what Wilson does. I think with refinement and development we could have a backup in Miami that can operate the offense efficiently…finally," said another. "Love to hear it!" a third added. A fourth stated, "I'd be surprised if he's not the backup.." "I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Quinn Ewers has the physical tools to stick at the next level. It’s just a matter of shaping the rest," a fifth continued. "That’s QB2 potential QB1 in the future Glad we drafted Ewers," said another. Another big test for both Ewers and Wilson will be during the Dolphins' three preseason games, as the coaching staff will get a much better look at how these two perform during live matchups. Luckily for both, though, being the backup is all they're truly fighting for, as Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports predicts that each will make the final 53-man roster, with cuts needing to be made by Aug. 27.
Nikola Jokic’s agent sparks LeBron James to Denver speculation with Instagram post
A boat trip is sparking speculation that two of the NBA’s biggest names could eventually team up with the Nuggets, according to BasketNews. In an Instagram post on Saturday, Misko Raznatovic, the longtime agent for Nikola Jokic, shared photos of himself with LeBron James and Maverick Carter, James’ business partner, in St. Tropez. Raznatovic added the caption, “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026! @kingjames @mavcarter.” Speculation has been building that James could be on the move — whether it’s during the upcoming season or next summer — since he picked up his $52.6M player option. That decision was accompanied by a statement from his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who said the 40-year-old star still wants to compete for championships and would be monitoring the Lakers‘ offseason moves. The Cavaliers, Mavericks, Warriors and Knicks are among the teams that have been mentioned as future homes for James, but the Nuggets also make sense from a competitive standpoint. James is coming off a second team All-NBA season, and partnering him with Jokic could significantly bolster Denver’s title chances. The Nuggets couldn’t afford to give James another $50M contract with Jokic ($59M) and Jamal Murray ($50.1M) already on their books for 2026-27 and beyond. Aaron Gordon ($32M) and Cameron Johnson ($23M) will also limit the Nuggets’ financial flexibility, but James might be willing to accept a smaller salary to join a team that would give him a chance to win a fifth ring. There seems to be a growing sense around the league that this will be James’ final season with the Lakers as the team focuses on building around Luka Doncic and prioritizes cap space for the summer of 2027. James has been an All-NBA selection in each of his seven seasons since coming to L.A. in 2019 and delivered a title in 2020.
Terry McLaurin makes big decision amid his contract holdout
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been seeking a contract extension this offseason, but he is no longer holding out for a new deal. McLaurin began training camp as a holdout earlier this week, as he did not show up to the team facility on the first day of mandatory practice. The veteran is now officially in the building, although he is still not practicing. McLaurin reported to training camp on Sunday morning. The Commanders announced that they have moved him from the reserve/did not report list to the active/physically unable to perform list. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that McLaurin has "some sort of ankle injury." Schefter also said that McLaurin's decision to show up to work is not an indication that the Commanders have made progress in extension talks with their star receiver. By showing up for training camp, McLaurin will no longer be subject to fines of $50,000 per day. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn told reporters he is "really pumped" to have McLaurin back with the team. McLaurin is in the final year of a three-year, $68M extension he signed in 2022. He is reportedly seeking to become one of the five highest-paid receivers in the NFL, which would mean an average annual salary of around $32M or more. McLaurin led Washington last season with 82 receptions, 117 targets and 1,096 receiving yards. He also had 13 touchdown catches, which was second in the NFL. Though the Commanders acquired Deebo Samuel in a trade this offseason, McLaurin has a close relationship with Jayden Daniels. The second-year quarterback made that clear recently when speaking about his teammate. McLaurin will turn 30 in September. He is trying to capitalize on signing an extension in the wake of his fifth consecutive season with 1,000 or more receiving yards.
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