"Aaron Judge hitting 61 means something... But unless he hits 74, Barry Bonds is still the Home Run King" - MLB insider argues famed juicer Barry Bonds is still numero uno in the all-time home run debate

Many fans in the baseball world are starting to question whether Barry Bonds' single-season home run record should count. Although this has always been a topic of discussion, talks have increased since Aaron Judge hit 61 home runs. Judge is currently one home run away from holding the all-time American League single-season home run record.

"Roger Maris Jr. says that 62 should be considered the real home run record? Do you agree with him?" - Chris Rose Sports

Back in 2001, Barry Bonds had a truly one-of-a-kind season, setting the all-time MLB single-season home run record with 73 deep flies. Since then, however, it has emerged that Bonds was using performance enhancing drugs at that point in his career. This has had a significant impact on his legacy, having failed to reach the Hall of Fame via the traditional voting method. Someone with Bonds' stats could easily reach the Hall of Fame without PED use.

Not only was it Bonds, but everyone who had more home runs than Judge was involved in steroid use. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa appeared on the list multiple times, and both got busted for their use of PEDs. Some are now saying that none of their home run seasons should count, with Judge being the sole leader.

"Aaron Judge hitting 61 means something. When he hits 62, that’ll mean something, too. But unless he hits 74, Barry Bonds is still the Home Run King no matter what Roger Maris Jr. says. He don’t get to decide that." - Jared Carrabis

However, many have disagreed with this take, as they argue that nothing can take away the fact that these players hit those home runs. MLB insider Jared Carrabis commented on the issue by saying, "But unless he hits 74, Barry Bonds is still the Home Run King no matter what Roger Maris Jr. says. He don’t get to decide that."

Although Aaron Judge potentially hitting 62 home runs would be outrageous, his season has been very special even outside of that. Judge is an all-round threat on offense and still has a Gold Glove caliber defense as well.

Is Aaron Judge having a better overall season than Barry Bonds in 2001?

Baltimore Orioles v New York Yankees

Despite the focus being on Aaron Judge's home runs, he is having an outstanding season all around. Through 153 games played, Judge has put up a slash line of .313/.428/.692, totaling to a whopping 1.121 OPS. He is leading the American League in eight different major hitting statistics. Also, if Judge can get his average up slightly, he would be the first AL triple crown winner since 2012.

"There has never been a player in MLB history to hit 60+ home runs AND win the Triple Crown in the same season. Will Aaron Judge be the first??" - YankeesMuse

Barry Bonds' 2001 season might edge out Judge's season slightly based on raw stats. However, when factoring in everything, an argument can be made for both sides. The question is, will Judge reach 62?