LOS ANGELES — Dodgers fans erupt with excitement every time Shohei Ohtani connects with the ball, regardless of how far it travels. They hold their breath with anticipation whenever he attempts to steal a base.
However, just as parents send their children off to college, Dodgers supporters must come to terms with the reality that Ohtani’s biggest milestone may take place away from their home ballpark.
Starting Friday, the Dodgers embark on a seven-game road trip that includes four games in Atlanta and three in Miami. The chances of Ohtani achieving a historic 50-home run, 50-stolen base season by the time the team returns for a home game against the Colorado Rockies on September 20 seem as low as an orderly dorm room.
Ohtani is currently at 47 homers and 48 stolen bases.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his hope earlier this week that Ohtani could seal his 50-50 season during the final homestand. He has since acknowledged that this might not happen.
“The way he’s going right now, probably not,” Roberts admitted. “Those fans in Miami might be in for a treat. But we’ll see. Obviously, I hope he does it, regardless of where, but it would be nice to be at home.”
There remains the possibility of history being made in Atlanta. Ohtani has hit up to three home runs over a four-game stretch multiple times, including a recent run at the end of August. Earlier in the season, he hit four homers in a three-game span against the Braves and Marlins from May 4 to 6.
Nonetheless, the odds of this milestone happening in South Florida appear higher. For memorabilia collectors, ticket prices for seats beyond the right-field wall during the Dodgers’ three-game series against the Marlins were as low as $8 per ticket as of Thursday.
As he approaches the first-ever 50-home run, 50-stolen base season in Major League Baseball history, Ohtani continues to put in significant effort.
“I see all the work he puts in,” said Dodgers catcher Will Smith. “It’s not like he goes out there and it’s too easy for him. He works harder than anybody. He scouts really hard. It’s fun to see him go out there. He’s playing a different game.”
In his pursuit of the 50-50 milestone, Ohtani has not only been stealing bases more frequently but has also been notably successful. Since July 23, he has been successful in 25 consecutive stolen base attempts.
One of his recent home runs was struck with such force that it was clocked at 118.1 mph, screaming toward the right field seats.
“I feel sorry for the fan who tried to catch it,” said teammate Max Muncy.
Despite this impressive statistic, it was not Ohtani’s hardest hit of the year. Earlier in the season, he recorded a single in Toronto with an exit velocity of 119.2 mph. Even disappointed Blue Jays fans let out gasps at his display.
Ohtani’s hard-hit percentage this season stands at 59.6, marking the highest of his career, with an average exit velocity of 95.6 mph.
“Each day he does something that makes you think, ‘I’ve never seen somebody do that before,’” said Tommy Edman, a newcomer to the Dodgers who has been captivated by Ohtani’s performances.
Edman himself has been contributing, hitting two home runs in each of his last two games, but he remains in awe of Ohtani’s achievements.
“On Sunday, he hit one off the glass in right field, and then on Wednesday, that was one of the lowest launch angle home runs I’ve ever seen. He just crushes the ball while stealing bases; it’s pretty incredible.”
Despite Ohtani’s current success on the base paths, Roberts cautioned that fans shouldn’t expect this trend to last. Ohtani’s aggressive base-running stems from his offseason elbow surgery. His 48 stolen bases this season far exceed his previous high of 26 during one of his American League MVP seasons in 2021.
“He’s not pitching this year so I think he is emptying the tank offensively,” Roberts noted. “While he can maintain his power and on-base percentage as a pitcher, I’m not sure about the stolen bases.”
Even if Ohtani reaches the 50-50 milestone on the road, he could still dazzle fans at home, especially if the Dodgers secure a playoff spot or clinch the National League West title with games remaining.
Seemingly the frontrunner for the NL MVP award as a designated hitter, Ohtani faces unexpected competition from New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor, who is also having an impressive season.
A claim has emerged from the East Coast suggesting a “well-known West Coast bias” in award voting. Yet, this bias seems to have taken a break when New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge won the AL MVP in 2022 with 28 first-place votes, while Ohtani garnered just two, despite exceptional offensive performance and a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting that year.
“That’s a first,” Roberts said with amusement. “That’s not gonna age well. West Coast bias? Right.”