Aaron Judge vs. Roger Maris

Who is the greater player? The debate rages on!
Written by Mark Bailey
Last updated on

What would happen if Aaron Judge faced off against Roger Maris in a homerun derby? While we’ll never know, we can see how these two sluggers stack up against each other statistically. Let’s take a closer look!

Best Single Season Stats

Roger MarisSingle Season StatsAaron Judge*
161Games Played157
590At bats570
132Runs133
159Hits177
366Total Bases391
34Doubles28
7Triples3
61Homeruns62
141RBIs131
24Base on balls127
11Intentional Walks19
29Strikeouts32
8Stolen bases16
4Caught Stealing1
.283Batting Average.311
.372On-Base Percentage.425
.62Slugging Percentage.686
.992On-Base Plus Slugging1.111
Aaron Judge stats last updated: October 2022

Career Stats

Roger MarisCareer StatsAaron Judge*
1463Games Played729
5101At bats2638
826Runs535
1325Hits748
2429Total Bases1537
195Doubles121
42Triples4
275Homeruns220
850RBIs497
652Base on balls472
42Intentional Walks39
733Strikeouts908
21Stolen bases40
9Caught Stealing15
.260Batting Average.284
.345On-Base Percentage.394
.476Slugging Percentage.583
.821On-Base Plus Slugging.977
Aaron Judge stats last updated: October 2022

Personal Bios

Roger MarisPersonal BioAaron Judge
1934Born1992
1957MLB Debut2016
Right fielderPositionRight fielder
Left-handed BattedRight-handed
Cleveland Indians
Kansas City Athletics
New York Yankees
St. Louis Cardinals
TeamsNew York Yankees

Roger Maris’ 61st homerun

Aaron Judge’s 62nd homerun

The great debate

It’s a debate that has raged among Yankees fans lately: who is the greater player, Aaron Judge or Roger Maris? It’s a tough question to answer, as both players have their own merits. But at the end of the day, there is only one correct answer:

Roger Maris.

Here’s why.

First and foremost, Roger Maris is a legend in Yankees history. Until 2022, he held the record for most homeruns in a season, with 61. That’s a record that stood for over 60 years. Maris was also a two-time American League MVP, and he was a key member of the Yankees team that won the World Series in 1961. Not too shabby for a guy from Hibbing, Minnesota.

Second, Maris was a class act both on and off the field. He was always humble and gracious, even when he was breaking records and winning MVPs. He didn’t seek out the limelight; he just played baseball because he loved the game. In contrast, Aaron Judge seems to enjoy being in the spotlight and playing up to his “bad boy” image. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but it’s not exactly what you want from your franchise player.

Maris played in an era when Baseball was still America’s pastime. There’s no doubt that Aaron Judge is one of the greatest players in Yankees history. But he’ll always pale in comparison to Roger Maris. That’s why Yankees fans will always love Roger Maris—and why he’ll always be the greatest player in team history.

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