Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is closing in on the 50-50 milestone, a chase that serves as one of the top storylines to finish out the final weeks of the MLB regular season.
Ohtani is known for his dual-threat ability as both a hitter and pitcher but has capitalized on his opportunities at the plate while he continues to recover from an injury that has negated his ability to pitch this season.
The Dodger has 47 home runs and 48 stolen bases this season as of Wednesday when Los Angeles beat the Chicago Cubs .
Here's what you need to know as Ohtani strives for the 50-50 milestone.
When will Shohei Ohtani reach 50-50?
With 16 games remaining on the Dodgers' schedule, Ohtani needs just three home runs and two stolen bases to become the first player in MLB history to reach the single-season 50-50 milestone.
He could become the first player to reach the milestone later this week.
The Dodgers will spend the weekend (Sept. 13-16) in Atlanta for a four-game series against the Braves followed by a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (Sept. 17-19).
The Dodgers return to Los Angeles for a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies (Sept. 20-22). The Dodgers will have a Shohei Ohtani shirt giveaway on Sept. 21st.
Shohei Ohtani 50-50 betting odds:
The odds for whether Shohei Ohtani will get to the 50-50 mark were available on Sept. 8th on FanDuel .
Wanna bet? Here are the best mobile sports betting apps in 2024 . You can also get in on the best bets with these sportsbooks and sports betting sites that stand above the rest .
When did Shohei Ohtani join the 40-40 club?
Ohtani became the sixth and fastest player to achieve the 40-40 mark after just 126 games played this season. Ohtani recorded his 40th stolen base of the season in the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Aug. 23.
He ended the game with a walk-off grand slam, his 40th HR of the season, that same night.
Reaching 40-40: Shohei Ohtani joins exclusive club with epic walk-off grand slam
Will Ohtani pitch for the Dodgers during the 2024 playoffs?
Ohtani has worked strictly as a hitter this season because of an injury he suffered last season.
Ohtani underwent elbow-reconstruction surgery in September 2023 and didn't start a throwing program until March 2024.
The Dodgers had several pitchers struggle to stay healthy this season but there's a small chance that help is on the way.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided some hope that Ohtani could return to the mound during the quest for another championship with comments he made on Sept. 13.
“I think that you should always leave some margin, a crack in the door for any possibility,” Roberts said of Ohtani during an interview on SiriusXM MLB Network Radio. “If things line up and there’s a need, and the game, his body, everything is telling us that it makes sense in that situation, great. It would be storybook.”
Who has reached MLB's 40-40 club?
Five other players reached the 40-40 club prior to Ohtani in MLB history.
Here are the players :
- Jose Canseco
- 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 151 games (1988)
- Barry Bonds
- 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 158 games (1996)
- Alex Rodriguez
- 42 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 153 games (1998)
- Alfonso Soriano
- 46 home runs and 41 stolen bases in 147 games (2006)
- Ronald Acuña Jr.
- 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases in 152 games (2023)
Has any other member of the Dodgers ever been close to the 40-40 mark before?
Matt Kemp finished the 2011 season with 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases. The Dodgers played 161 games that season instead of the originally scheduled 162 because of a rainout.
For what it's worth, Kemp had a home run on the final game of the 2010 season and on Opening Day of the 2012 season, which means he had 40-40 over two other 162-game periods but not the one that counted.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani: Tracker, highlights for Dodger's 50-50 milestone chase
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