Shohei Ohtani has been nothing short of remarkable in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which already has included breaking multiple franchise and MLB records.
Among them was Ohtani becoming the first player to ever reach 43 home runs and 43 stolen bases in the same year. Overall, he’s the sixth player in MLB history to join the 40-40 club.
Ohtani achieved that milestone in dramatic fashion as his 40th home run of the season was a walk-off grand slam.
“One of my top memorable moments, and I hope that I can do more and make more memorable moments,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton.
While Ohtani already stands alone in MLB history, the watch is ongoing for his pursuit of 45 home runs and 45 stolen bases, and the increasing likelihood of a 50/50 season that almost assuredly would guarantee winning the National League MVP Award.
When will Shohei Ohtani reach 50-50?
A flurry of power and speed over the past week has Ohtani in great position as the calendar turned to September. He entered the final month of the regular season needing six more home runs and seven stolen bases for 50 in each category.
Ohtani has hit at least seven home runs in four different months this season. His most prolific were June and August, during which Ohtani slugged 12 homers in each.
He additionally produced a minimum of seven stolen bases in three calendar months thus far in 2024. The 30-year-old truly picked up his baserunning in July and August, collecting 12 and 15 stolen bases, respectively.
Ohtani holds the Dodgers franchise record at 11 games with at least one home run and one stolen base. It previously belonged to Kirk Gibson, who had eight such games in 1988.
Furthermore, reaching 50-50 would also entail breaking the Dodgers record for most home runs in a single season. That currently belongs to Shawn Green, who hit 49 homers in 2001.
Given his current rate of production, it’s probable, if not likely, that Ohtani reaches 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases around the middle of September.
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