For the first time in Major League Baseball history, a player has achieved an extraordinary milestone that many thought to be unattainable: hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in the same season. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani accomplished this groundbreaking feat in the 2024 season, etching his name even deeper into the annals of baseball history.
Ohtani punctuated his remarkable season by hitting his 49th, 50th, and 51st home runs of the season on Thursday. In an all-around display of his unparalleled athletic prowess, he also stole his 50th and 51st bases during the same game, leading the Dodgers to a resounding 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. This awe-inspiring performance marked the 13th time this season that Ohtani has hit a home run and stolen a base in the same game, tying the single-season record set by Rickey Henderson in 1986.
Historical Context and Comparisons
With nine games remaining in the regular season, Ohtani has the opportunity to break Henderson's record. One cannot help but draw comparisons to other iconic figures in baseball. Ichiro Suzuki, another Japanese-born player, holds the record for most stolen bases in a single season with 56 bases, set in 2001. As of now, Ohtani has stolen 51 bases, leaving room for more history to be made.
Ohtani's 51 home runs this season are also the most ever by a Japanese-born player, surpassing the previous record and cementing his status as one of the greatest players of all time. Not only did he achieve entry into the 40-40 club faster than any player in history, doing so in just 129 team games, but his all-around contributions have been indispensable for the Dodgers, who have clinched a postseason berth.
A Season Like No Other
Last season, Ohtani led the league with 44 home runs, pitched 132 innings with a 3.14 ERA, and struck out 167 batters, earning his second unanimous MVP award. This season, he has been exclusively focusing on hitting due to elbow surgery last September, an adjustment that has in no way diminished his offensive output.
Ohtani's 49th, 50th, and 51st home runs of the season were part of a three-home run and two-stolen base explosion, a first in baseball history. This made him the first player in Dodgers' history to drive in 10 runs in a single game. The last player to drive in 10 runs in a game was Mark Reynolds on July 7, 2018. In addition, Ohtani recorded 17 total bases in the game, a feat only seven other players have achieved.
Uncharted Territory
"Huge congrats to Shohei. If you're going to have somebody tie and eventually break your record, who better than the greatest player who ever lived," said one commentator, eloquently summing up the sentiment surrounding Ohtani's achievements. Another noted, "Shohei Ohtani is not just making history; he is the history."
The 2024 season has been filled with career highs for Ohtani, both in home runs and stolen bases. His previous career high in home runs was 46, set in 2021. Before this season, he had never stolen more than 26 bases in a single season. This year, he stole five bases in April, eight in May, and three in June. His pace picked up in the later months with 12 stolen bases in July, 15 in August, and eight in September up to this point. Clearly, Ohtani is hitting his stride when it matters most, amassing more steals in the second half (28) than the first (23) despite playing 38 fewer games.
As Shohei Ohtani continues to defy the boundaries of what one player can achieve on a baseball field, fans and analysts alike are left in a state of awe. Every home run, every stolen base adds another chapter to a story that is as compelling as it is historic. As the Dodgers head into the postseason with their star player setting new benchmarks, the world watches to see just how far this extraordinary athlete can go.