MLB news: Cubs recruit Ohtani, tone-deaf Orioles CEO, Aaron Judge talks 62

Yankees news: Aaron Judge wants to repeat last year and then some

Aaron Judge hit an American League record 62 home runs last season. Per the Yankees slugger himself, that might just be the beginning.

Realistically, replicating a 62-home run season is unlikely. But could Judge win AL MVP for the second straight year? Sure, though Shohei Ohtani might have something to say about that.

Judge is confident heading into spring training, as he should be.

“You never know,” Judge said at Yankees spring training, per ESPN. “I don’t really like putting a number on it. I just kind of 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.”

Judge bet on himself last offseason and that paid off wonderfully. With all the money in the world on his side now, it remains to be seen if he’ll have the same motivation. For New York, the goal is simple — defeat the Houston Astros and win the World Series. The Yankees haven’t done so since 2008.

“It bothers me, and I think it bothers the group as well,” Judge said. “Every year we don’t finish what we started, it wears on us in different ways. I think every failure pushes you towards that ultimate goal.”

This season, team goals will triumph over individual ones. If the Yanks fall short of the pennant, it’s another failed year in the Bronx.