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Aaron Judge and Ben Rice Face Disrespect in MLB Power Rankings Despite Historic Home Run Pace

Both sluggers maintain elite statistics that position them within reach of becoming the first teammates since 1961 to hit 50 home runs in the same season.

Asude Karataş • 30 Mayıs 2026 07:00 • 4 dk okuma • 45 görüntülenme

Aaron Judge has dropped to seventh place in MLB.com's hitter power rankings while teammate Ben Rice was excluded from the list entirely, a decision that analysts argue undervalues both Yankees stars' ongoing offensive production. Despite a cooling trend in May, both sluggers maintain statistics that position them on track for a historic dual 50-home-run season, an achievement last accomplished by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in 1961.

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The Case Against the Rankings
Historic Achievement Within Reach

The Case Against the Rankings

Judge's slide from the top spot reflects a temporary dip in productivity rather than a fundamental decline. Through a recent stretch, Judge hit just one home run across 14 games, causing his on-base-plus-slugging percentage to fall from 1.035 to .949. However, the adjustment appears overstated: Judge remains tied for fourth in Major League Baseball with 17 home runs overall, while maintaining an eighth-place slugging percentage of .554 and a ninth-place OPS of .934. MLB.com's analysis acknowledged the drop likely represents only a minor blip, noting that Judge collected five hits over three games entering one recent contest.

Rice's omission from the rankings stands out more sharply. The first baseman struggled through May with a .247 batting average and six home runs that month, but his season-long 1.006 OPS ranks second-best across baseball, and his 16 home runs place him sixth overall. ESPN's projections suggest Rice will finish with 46 home runs this season, putting him within striking distance of the 50-home-run mark alongside Judge's projected 49 homers.

Historic Achievement Within Reach

The statistical foundation supporting both players remains substantial. If Judge surpasses 50 home runs, he will accomplish something even Babe Ruth never achieved: hitting at least 50 home runs in three consecutive seasons. Judge is one of only four players to reach the 50-home-run plateau in four different seasons. Meanwhile, the possibility of Judge and Rice becoming the second pair of teammates to hit 50 home runs in a single season represents a milestone that deserves consideration in any comprehensive power ranking.

CC Sabathia's recent power rankings analysis identified the Yankees as the American League's lone representative in the top five overall, underscoring the organization's competitive standing despite individual fluctuations in monthly performance metrics.

Why did Aaron Judge drop in the power rankings?+

Judge's ranking fell from first to seventh following a recent stretch in which he hit just one home run over 14 games, causing his OPS to decline from 1.035 to .949. However, analysts note this represents a temporary decline rather than a fundamental regression, as Judge remains among league leaders in home runs and slugging metrics.

What are Ben Rice's offensive statistics this season?+

Rice has 16 home runs and maintains a 1.006 OPS, the second-best in baseball. ESPN projects he will finish with 46 home runs. He struggled in May with a .247 batting average and six home runs that month, which some analysts cited as a reason for his exclusion from recent power rankings.

When was the last time two teammates hit 50 home runs in one season?+

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle accomplished this feat in 1961, when Maris hit 61 home runs and Mantle added 54. Judge and Rice's projected totals of 49 and 46 homers, respectively, would make them the first pair to achieve this milestone since that legendary season.

Has Aaron Judge hit 50 home runs in consecutive seasons before?+

If Judge reaches 50 home runs this season, he will hit 50 or more in three consecutive seasons—something Babe Ruth never accomplished. Judge has already achieved the 50-home-run mark in four different seasons overall, placing him among an exclusive group of baseball players.

Where do the Yankees rank overall in recent power rankings?+

The Yankees are the American League's only representative in the top five of recent power rankings according to analysis by CC Sabathia. The Los Angeles Dodgers occupy the top spot in those same rankings.

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