Kirk Gibson Dismisses Barry Bonds Home Run Critics

Kirk Gibson says he knows firsthand how special Barry Bonds was during his playing days ... and he tells TMZ Sports the guy should be recognized for all his accomplishments -- even if it's not the popular opinion.

We spoke with the MLB great at LAX this week ... and asked about Aaron Judge's 62-home run season and whether he's the REAL single-season king, considering every player above him on the record list is allegedly tied to PEDs.

Gibson heaped a ton of praise on Judge ... but as for whether guys like Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire should lose recognition due to their alleged ties to steroids, he's against the notion.

"People go down different roads in different ways," the Dodgers legend said. "I've played with Barry. You gonna tell me the guy didn't accomplish anything?" Gibson asked.

Gibson and Bonds were teammates on the Pirates in 1992 -- and he said that 20 years from now, it might be popular to say Barry didn't accomplish anything.

"It's the thought of the day, 'Barry's was no good, he did this, that and McGwire did this and Sosa did this.'"

"How do you know what anybody does?" Gibson said.

We asked Gibson, a former Silver Slugger Award winner, if this 2022 Dodgers team that won 111 games during the regular season is the best in the franchise's rich history.

"They're pretty incredible," said Gibson, who hit the iconic walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. "They've had one heck of a run. This is maybe the best team to win."

Gibson won two World Series titles during his 17-year career ... and has always had a vested interest in the team's success.

So we had to talk about Craig Kimbrel, who was left off the Dodgers' NLDS roster ... and he tells us the flame-throwing righty will be fine once his confidence is restored.

"How many times has he succeeded?" Gibson asked. "Has he failed more than he's succeeded? That's why he's the closer."

"He's succeeded so much. He has to instill that feeling within himself. He'll be ready."

Finally, Kirk tells us about a man with one leg who will run a 26.2-mile marathon on two crutches to support his Kirk Gibson Foundation, which helps people with Parkinson's disease.