What is there that Shohei Ohtani can't do?
The Dodgers superstar is a unicorn in today's MLB. The Japanese slugger is a menace with the bat in his hands, as Ohtani always has the chance to smash the ball out of the park. However, Ohtani also does damage with his arm, as he is a Cy Young candidate whenever he takes the mound.
The pitching took a hiatus this season. Ohtani underwent major elbow surgery this offseason, which meant that he would not be in the Dodgers' pitching rotation in 2024. It was a tough blow for Los Angeles, especially after signing him to a massive contract in free agency, but he is expected to take the bump again in 2025.
With his arm sidelined for the season, Ohtani is showing off another skill — his speed. The phenom isn't just impacting the Dodgers' offense with his bat. He's also using his legs to steal bases, something that was a smaller part of his repertoire in previous years but has taken a major leap forward this year without the pitching aspect of his game in play.
Ohtani isn't just swiping a bag here and there. He is on the verge of reaching 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, meaning he would become only the sixth player ever in MLB history to join the exclusive 40-40 club.
The Sporting News is tracking Ohtani's progress towards the 40-40 club.
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How many home runs does Shohei Ohtani have?
As of Aug. 20, Ohtani is up to 39 home runs on the 2024 season.
The Dodgers have 36 games left in the regular season. Considering Ohtani is averaging 0.32 home runs a game and needs just one more to reach 40, it's very likely that he will reach the threshold.
Ohtani's career-high for home runs in a single season is 46, which came during the 2021 season. At his current rate, it's not likely that he will set a new career-high in that category in 2024.
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How many stolen bases does Shohei Ohtani have?
As of Aug. 20, Ohtani is up to 37 home runs on the 2024 season.
The Dodgers have 36 games left in the regular season. With Ohtani averaging 0.30 stolen bases per game, it is a possibility that he swipes three more bags to hit the 40-base milestone
Ohtani already has set a new career-high for stolen bases in a single season. His previous best was 26, which happened in the 2021 campaign. This is the first time he's ever swiped 30 bags and he could be on his way to reaching 40.
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What is the 40-40 club?
The 40-40 club in the MLB refers to when one player hits 40 home runs and steals 40 bases in a single season.
It's an incredibly rare feat in today's MLB. It's not common to find a player with a mix of power at the dish and speed on the base paths that result in 40 homers and stolen bases.
Only five players have ever joined the exclusive club. The latest was Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who completed the feat last season. He finished the 2023 season with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases, becoming the first player since 2006 to join the 40-40 club.
Here is a look at everyone who is in the exclusive group:
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