Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger each have a chance to break the rookie record for home runs in a season.

Mark McGwire, the player who set the record with 49 in 1987, is admiring their pursuit.

Judge, the Yankees’ right fielder, returns from the All-Star break with 30 homers in 84 games. Bellinger, the Dodgers’ first baseman/outfielder who debuted on April 25, has 25 in 70 games.

McGwire had 33 homers for the A’s at the break as he went after the record of 38 held jointly by Wally Berger (1930 Reds) and Frank Robinson (1956 Reds).

“They’ve been so impressive and so awesome to watch,” McGwire, 53, the bench coach for the Padres, wrote in an email forwarded by the team. “Being able to watch Bellinger from the other dugout and watch Judge from afar – I wish them the best of luck. The record could very well be shattered. It was a 31-year-old record when I broke it and now it’s been 30 years since, and they have a chance to break it. They are two truly awesome power hitters. Fans love the long ball. I’m glad it’s back.”

McGwire, who hit 583 homers in a 16-year career from 1986 to 2001, admitted in a 2010 statement to The Associated Press that he used steroids in 1998 when he set a then-single-season record of 70 homers. In his admission, McGwire said he first used steroids in the 1989-90 offseason, implying it had no effect on his rookie record. Major League Baseball recognizes all records set in the so-called Steroid Era.

MARLINS: The optics at Tuesday’s All-Star Game were powerful: Miami businessman Jorge Mas, who’s trying to buy the Marlins, sitting in the owner’s box, chatting with Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and embracing team president David Samson.

Mas believes he is getting close to a deal to buy the Marlins and is optimistic, but cannot yet be completely certain it will happen, according to someone directly involved.

That optimism is rooted partly in a belief that the other competing groups (Derek Jeter and Wayne Rothbaum/Tagg Romney) don’t have the financial wherewithal (in Jeter’s case) or the desire (in Rothbaum’s case) to meet Loria’s asking price.

In fact, members of those competing groups have reached out to Mas about joining his group, according to a source.

“We’re close; we’re close,” Mas – whose Marlins interest was first reported by the Miami Herald on June 23 – told WINZ-940 radio host Andy Slater on Tuesday night.

Nevertheless, the Marlins have not told Mas that he’s getting the team or given him a firm indication that he’s the front-runner, according to a source briefed on the situation.

Both the Marlins and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said this week that none of the team’s suitors has been informed of a decision.

But Mas’ pursuit of the team is accelerating. Purchase agreements have been drawn up with Mas – they were previously drawn up with the Jeter and Rothbaum/Romney groups – and discussions continue.

An involved source said Mas values the team at about $1.1 billion, which is less than Loria’s $1.2 billion asking price.

But Mas believes the two sides are close enough in their value of the team that a deal can be reached soon, according to an involved source.

While not picking favorites among the three bidders, Manfred spoke Tuesday about the appeal of Mas as a buyer.

“The Mas family has been a prominent, pre-eminent family in Miami for a long time,” Manfred said. “One thing we like to see (in an ownership group) is deep roots in the community. They certainly would satisfy that.”

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