Shohei Ohtani, a superstar player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, achieved a historic feat as he made his 40th home run and become the fastest player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season. Ohtani accomplished this in just 126 games, surpassing the previous record held by Alfonso Soriano of the Washington Nationals who reached this milestone in 147 games. Also, Ohtani also became the first player in Dodgers’ history to achieve this distinguishing record.
In the game against Tampa Bay Rays, Ohtani entered with 39 home runs and 39 stolen bases to his credit for the season. During the game, he stole a base in the fourth inning but did not score in the next two at-bats. However, in the ninth inning, with the scores tied, bases loaded and two outs, Ohtani made a first-pitch grand slam, leading the Dodgers to a 7-3 victory. If Ohtani continues to skin such high performances, he could become the first player in MLB history to make 45 homers and 45 steals in a season.
Skeletons of former 40/40 seasons reveal the immensity of Ohtani’s achievement. For instance, 1988 saw Jose Canseco of Oakland Athletics unite power and speed to secure a .307/.391/.569/.959 record – the first-ever 40/40 season, which paved his way to winning the American League MVP award. Similarly, in 1996, Barry Bonds from the San Francisco Giants paired 40 steals with 42 home runs, securing a record of .308/.461/.615/1.076. Bonds’ matchless performance could not lift his team to playoffs, which may have impacted his MVP prospects.
The tradition of 40/40 players was extended in 1998 by Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners, who made 42 home runs while stealing 46 bases and earned his career’s first MVP votes. Then, in 2006, Alfonso Soriano of Washington Nationals became the first player to make 45 homers and 40 steals in a single season, recording .277/.351/.560/.911. Unfortunately, like Bonds and Rodriguez, Soriano’s team failed to qualify for the playoffs, which may have affected his MVP chances.
In 2023, Ronald Acuña Jr. made history after scoring 40 home runs with 73 stolen bases. He became the founding member of the 40/70 club. Given his feat of recording 60 steals and 30 home runs, Acuña’s historic performance secured him an MVP award. This year, Shohei Ohtani stands as the latest addition to the 40/40 club. Ohtani’s extraordinary performance on Friday may have sealed his third MVP award and placed him slightly closer to a potential 50-50 season.
In sum, Ohtani’s remarkable 40/40 accomplishment is a testament to his incredible talent. His grand slam pushed him to become the fastest player to reach 40/40 in MLB history. Ohtani is also making progress towards a potential 45-45 or even 50-50 season, which has yet to be accomplished in the MLB. His achievement is proof of power and speed, twin traits that the 40/40 club members bond over.
