McGwire hopes Judge, Bellinger break his rookie HR record
Mark McGwire is rooting for his record to be broken.
One of the most prolific home run hitters in Major League Baseball history and the owner of the all-time single-season rookie record for homers has looked on in awe as New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger take aim at his mark of 49 home runs set in 1987.
"It's awesome to watch," McGwire said, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. "Think about it - it was 31 years to the year that I broke it. Now we're in the 30th year for my record. It's pretty cool to think about. I'm a firm believer that records are meant to be broken.
"I've always said there's a potential superstar born every day. Here you are 30 years later, and you've got two superstars in the making. They have a very good chance of shattering it, and I wish them the best of luck. It's going to be cool to watch down the stretch."
Both Judge and Bellinger have had remarkable seasons, though it will be tough to best McGwire's mark. Entering play Monday, Judge has an AL-leading 35 homers, while Bellinger sits at 34 - good for second in the NL.
FANGRAPHS HOME RUN PROJECTIONS
| PLAYER | ZiPS | STEAMER |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron Judge | 45 | 44 |
| Cody Bellinger | 43 | 43 |
Judge looked well on his way to breaking the record before entering a miserable slump after the All-Star break. He's .165/.333/.330 with five home runs and 46 strikeouts in 28 games, and has 46 games left to turn things around.
Bellinger, meanwhile, has been red-hot over the last month. In 27 games, he's hitting .308/.374/.625 with nine homers. The Dodgers have 45 games remaining, though he could see a dip in playing time soon with Adrian Gonzalez returning from the DL. The Dodgers also could opt to give Bellinger some additional rest down the stretch with such a big lead in the division.
McGwire, who serves as a bench coach for the San Diego Padres, put together one of the best rookie seasons in history when he broke into the league with the Oakland Athletics. He slashed .289/.379/.618 with 49 homers, 28 doubles, and 118 RBIs in 151 games en route to becoming the unanimous choice for AL Rookie of the Year.