Brian Hamacher

Slugging Stanton Lapping the Field in Home Run Race

Giancarlo Stanton has a chance to accomplish something Barry Bonds and Roger Maris never did — and the Miami slugger doesn't need to hit 74 homers.

Stanton currently leads the major leagues with 52 home runs, which is 14 more than second-place Aaron Judge. The last player to lead the majors in homers by 14 was Jimmie Foxx back in 1933.

When Bonds hit a record 73 home runs in 2001, Sammy Sosa was second with 64. When Maris hit 61 in 1961, teammate Mickey Mantle had 54.

The home run margin of victory record, not surprisingly, belongs to Babe Ruth, who finished 35 homers clear of the field in both 1920 and 1921.

Here's every instance in the modern era in which a player led the majors in home runs by double digits:

2010: Jose Bautista (54) over Albert Pujols (42).

1995: Albert Belle (50) over Dante Bichette, Jay Buhner and Frank Thomas (40).

1990: Cecil Fielder (51) over Ryne Sandberg (40).

1989: Kevin Mitchell (47) over Howard Johnson and Fred McGriff (36).

1977: George Foster (52) over Jeff Burroughs (41).

1965: Willie Mays (52) over Willie McCovey (39).

1950: Ralph Kiner (47) over Al Rosen (37).

1949: Kiner (54) over Ted Williams (43).

1933: Foxx (48) over Ruth (34).

1932: Foxx (58) over Ruth (41).

1928: Ruth (54) over Jim Bottomley and Hack Wilson (31).

1927: Ruth (60) over Lou Gehrig (47).

1926: Ruth (47) over Wilson (21).

1924: Ruth (46) over Jack Fournier and Joe Hauser (27).

1921: Ruth (59) over Bob Meusel and Ken Williams (24).

1920: Ruth (54) over George Sisler (19).

1919: Ruth (29) over Gavvy Cravath (12).

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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