New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge's chase for Roger Maris' franchise record for most home runs in a season has captivated MLB fans. But what if that wasn't the only famed home run chase going on in baseball right now? Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami has been authoring a home run chase of his own for the Tokyo Yakult Shallows of the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan. Jon Morosi of MLB.com has the details.

“Murakami, a 22-year-old third baseman, has hit 55 home runs this season for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. With 17 games to play, he tied the legendary Sadaharu Oh's record for the most homers in a season by a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball.”

Per Morosi, Munetaka Murakami has belted 55 home runs for the Yakult Shallows this season, tying Japanese baseball legend Sadaharu Oh's longtime record for the most homers in a season by a Japanese-born player, set back in 1964.

Aaron Judge who? Murakami has already tied Oh's record- and the 22-year-old third baseman still has 17 games left to move past the Japanese baseball icon. The best part?

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Murakami tied the record against Oh's former team, the Yomiuri Giants. Swallows starter and former MLB pitcher Cy Sneed summed up Murakami and Judge pretty well.

Sneed said that neither the Japanese star or the MLB slugger are hitting “wall-scrapers.” And neither appear to be showing any signs of slowing down their torrid paces.

So, while you're watching Aaron Judge chase down the Yankees' single-season franchise home run record, take a moment to acknowledge the greatness of Munetaka Murakami, too.