Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani of Oshu, Japan made Major League Baseball history on Friday by becoming only the sixth player ever to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 stolen bases in a single season. However, what Ohtani did this season was significant because he accomplished the feat in only 126 games. The previous record belonged to Washington Nationals outfielder Alfonso Soriano of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, who did it in 147 games in 2006.
Ohtani delivers in dramatic fashion
How Ohtani made history was very dramatic. He entered the game with 39 home runs and 39 stolen bases. Ohtani then stole second base in the bottom of the fourth inning for his 40th stolen base of the year. Then in the bottom of the ninth inning, Ohtani hit a dramatic walk off grand slam that also scored catcher Will Smith of Louisville, Kentucky, center fielder Tommy Edman of San Diego, California, and pinch hitter Max Muncy of Midland, Texas, in a 7-3 Dodgers win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Ohtani’s grand slam was 389 feet. The dinger came with two out and broke a 3-3 deadlock. Ohtani is the fourth player this season to hit a walk off grand slam. He follows Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, and Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ohtani’s statistics in 2024
Ohtani is batting .292 with 40 home runs and 94 runs batted in. During 126 games, 500 at bats, and 578 plate appearances, he has scored 97 runs, and had 146 hits, 29 doubles, six triples, 40 stolen bases, 69 walks, 307 total bases, four sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .378, and a slugging percentage of .614. Ohtani leads the National League in runs, home runs, slugging percentage and total bases.
Who are the other five?
The first MLB player to record 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season was Oakland Athletics Jose Canseco of La Cabana, Cuba. He had 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 1988. Canseco was followed by San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds of Riverside, California (42 home runs and 40 stolen baes in 1996), Seattle Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez of New York, New York (42 home runs and 46 stolen bases in 1998), Nationals outfielder Soriano (46 home runs and 41 stolen bases), and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of La Guaira, Venezuela (41 home runs and 73 stolen bases in 2023).
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