Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Steals Three Bases, Makes More History

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani stole three bases in Monday's 11-6 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving him a total of 44 home runs and 46 stolen bases on the season.

Ohtani had already become the fastest player to join the 40/40 club in MLB history, and the first player to reach 43/43, and now 44 home runs and stolen bases in a season. He is currently on pace for 51 home runs and 54 stolen bases this season, which would make him the first player in MLB history to record 50 of each in a season, per Sarah Langs.

Shohei Ohtani is on pace for 51 home runs and 54 stolen bases

No player has ever had that combination in a season

his 44 is already the highest total a player has reached in BOTH HR & SB in a season https://t.co/bVtj63P6Pp
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 2, 2024

Ohtani's 46th stolen base also allowed him to surpass manager Dave Roberts' record for the most-stolen bases by a Japanese-born player in a single season in Dodgers history.

Ohtani has also reached and is on pace to reach several other milestones this season. This season, Ohtani has hit seven balls 116.3 miles per hour or faster, which are the Dodgers' seven hardest-hit balls since at least 2015.

Since Statcast began tracking batted-ball velocity, no other Dodgers player has topped any of Ohtani's seven hardest-hit balls this season.

Dodgers’ hardest-hit batted balls tracked by Statcast (2015):

4/27/24 Shohei Ohtani: 119.2 mph 1B
7/27/24 Shohei Ohtani: 118.7 mph HR
4/23/24 Ohtani: 118.7 mph HR
Today Ohtani: 117.2 mph 1B
8/5/24 Ohtani: 117.1 mph 2B
7/21/24 Ohtani: 116.7 mph HR
8/2/24 Ohtani: 116.3 mph HR
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 2, 2024

Ohtani is also on track to become just the fifth player in MLB history to lead his league in home runs and record more than 40 stolen bases. Jimmy Sheckard, Red Murray, Ty Cobb, and Tris Speaker are the only other four players to do so, with Speaker most recently doing so in 1912 when he posted 10 home runs and 52 stolen bases.

All four of the other players to reach this milestone were dead-ball hitters less than seven home runs.

Shohei Ohtani leads the NL in HR and has 46 SB

players to lead own league in HR *and* have MORE than 40 SB in a season, since 1900:

1912 Tris Speaker (52 SB, 10 HR)
1909 Ty Cobb (78, 9)
1909 Red Murray (49, 7)
1903 Jimmy Sheckard (67, 9)

h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 2, 2024

Ohtani continues to prove that he is one of one, and worth every cent of the $700 million record-breaking contract he signed in December. The 30-year-old now has slashed .292/.377/.616 with 44 home runs and 98 RBIs on the season. Overall in MLB, he is second in home runs behind Aaron Judge.

Ohtani is also on pace to win his third MVP award in MLB, after previously winning two American League MVP awards with the Angels. He has put together one of the most historic seasons, and hasn't even pitched this year as his throwing arm continues to progress after undergoing surgery for a torn UCL a season ago.