Overlooked star quietly pursuing 40-40 season

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has drawn plenty of attention for his 40-40 season.

Ohtani became the sixth member of the 40-40 club , doing so faster than anyone else in MLB history. His 40th homer was not only a walk-off for the Dodgers, it was a game-winning grand slam. He is well on his way to becoming the first 50-50 player in MLB history, a feat that underscores how special of a talent he is.

Ohtani is not the only player that could join the 40-40 club this season, however. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez has posted a .275/.332/.531 batting line in his 580 plate appearances entering Monday, hitting 34 homers and 31 doubles while stealing 34 bases. He is on pace to hit exactly 40 homers and steal 40 bases, which would make him the seventh member of the 40-40 club.

It's not just Ohtani who has stolen Ramirez's shine. Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is chasing down another 60 homer season. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is also putting together a dynamic all-around season and is a significant part of why the Royals are in playoff contention. Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto are commanding plenty of attention. Ramirez, despite his impressive performance, may not finish in the top five in the AL MVP vote.

This is nothing new for Ramirez. Fivethirtyeight.com called him " baseball's least appreciated superstar " back in 2022. This is still the case in 2024 as the perennial All-Star has quietly put together another impressive performance. Ramirez has been the biggest piece of the Guardians' success in 2024. A 40-40 season may be what it takes for Ramirez to get his due.