Yankees' Aaron Judge on Possibility of Hitting 62 HRs Again in 2023: 'We'll See'

Aaron Judge isn't ruling out the possibility of hitting 62 home runs for a second consecutive season.

"We'll see," the New York Yankees slugger told reporters on Monday. "I don't really like putting a number on it. I like going out there and trying to control what I can control. But you never know what could happen, so we'll see about 62."

There will be even more pressure on the 30-year-old's shoulder this season, and not just because he set the American League record for long balls in a single campaign in 2022.

He signed a massive nine-year, $360 million contract with the Yankees this offseason and was named the team captain upon his return. He is already a New York legend with a resume that includes an AL MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, four All-Star selections and three Silver Sluggers, but there is something missing: a World Series crown, which has so often defined the Yankees greats of the past.

Judge did what he could last year with a .311/.425/.686 slash line to go with those 62 home runs and 131 RBI, but the Bronx Bombers fell short of the ultimate goal when they were swept by the Houston Astros in the American League Championship Series.

The last time New York reached the World Series was 2009, which is quite the drought for a franchise with 27 championship rings.

"I've got some goals written down, but my individual stats always take care of themselves if I'm focused on the team out there," Judge said. "The game tells you what you need to do. If I'm going up there thinking about trying to hit a homer or thinking about what my batting average is going to be, I'm probably going to walk away from that at-bat after three pitches."

While his focus is on the team, another home run performance like last year would likely put New York in line for another deep playoff run.

That is surely what the team is looking for from its captain.