Yankees' Aaron Judge has 34 homers at the All-Star break and gushing admiration from other stars

ARLINGTON, Texas — It takes a lot for major-leaguers to be in a state of slack-jawed awe at one of their own.

Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani creates that reaction.

So does Aaron Judge.

“Thirty-four [homers] at the break? I can’t comprehend that,” Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman said.

Freeman laughed, then shook his head while thinking about Judge’s total through the Yankees’ 98 games. “I don’t usually hit that in a season and he’s doing it in July,’’ he said. “I hope fans and players take a step back and realize that these kind of players don’t come around [often], so just enjoy him. To hit 34 home runs at the break, it’s unheard of.”

Judge, who will start in centerfield for the American League All-Stars on Tuesday night — he’ll be joined by two teammates, starting rightfielder Juan Soto and closer Clay Holmes — came into the break with more than just his MLB-leading 34 homers. Judge, who was named the 2022 American League MVP after a season in which he set an AL record with 62 homers, is hitting .306 with an MLB-leading 85 RBIs. He also leads the majors in on-base percentage (.433), slugging (.679) and OPS (1.112) and leads the American League in total bases (233, two fewer than Ohtani).

Judge has hit 28 home runs and driven in 66 runs in his past 61 games (214 at-bats).

“I don’t think I can do that even in ‘MLB The Show,’ ” Soto said of the popular video game. “It’s crazy. Literally crazy to see all those homers and all those RBIs. He’s incredible.”

Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, starting behind the plate for the AL, saw Judge hit two of those homers last weekend in Baltimore. He went 3-for-7 with seven walks and was hit by a pitch in the series.

“He’s tough to pitch to [because] he hits for power no matter where you throw it in the zone,” Rutschman said. “He hits for average. Just a very complete hitter. It’s tough putting up game plans against him.”

Of the 34 homers, Rutschman said: “It’s very impressive, especially because teams a lot of times try to not give him good pitches to hit. The more home runs you hit, the tougher you’re going to get pitched. [That] definitely makes it more impressive.”

Rutschman’s teammate and fellow AL starter, Gunnar Henderson, said in his short time in the league, he’s marveled at Judge’s timing. “It always seems like he’s on time with whatever being thrown,” said the shortstop, who has 28 homers. “As a hitter, that’s really hard to do with the caliber of pitchers that are being rolled out there.  Seeing him doing that night in and night out is pretty cool.”

Royals All-Star righthander Seth Lugo, a Met from 2016-22, offered a pitcher’s perspective.

“It’s not surprising,” he began his answer, referencing the 34 homers. “He’s tough. If you make a mistake, you’re going to pay. But also, him being so tall, your breaking ball at the bottom of the zone is actually below his zone so you gotta bring it up. And breaking balls just don’t play quite as well the higher they are, and him being so big, you have to play them higher.”

The Rangers’ Marcus Semien, a three-time All-Star who has 228 homers in his 12-year career, including 13 this season, said Judge was among the players he was most looking forward to connecting with.

“Judge, I’m always interested to see what he’s doing because he just dominates every single year,” Semien said. “I know I can’t do it like him.”

Semien later said with a smile that his middle son, Joshua, “wants to meet Judge. That’s all he’s talking about.”

Two-time NL MVP and eight-time All-Star Bryce Harper didn’t hesitate in answering a “best player” question. “Aaron Judge,” he said. “His numbers. It’s incredible. It’s the best first half I’ve ever seen by an individual player.”

Harper’s Phillies teammate, Alec Bohm, used a word Derek Jeter used when discussing the hardest part of hitting.

“He’s just so consistent,” Bohm said.  “And that’s kind of the thing that we all chase, is being able to go out there every day and be as consistent as possible, and he does that to a T.

“It’s super-impressive that he can be that locked in. He was getting booed in April, right? And then he’s carried on to have the best numbers out of any player in the league. That’s the impressive part of it.”

 With David Lennon