Shohei Ohtani has once again etched his name in baseball history by becoming the fastest player to reach the 40/40 milestone in Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers star achieved this feat by hitting a walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays, securing his 40th home run of the season. Ohtani is not only the first player in Dodgers history to join the 40/40 club but also the sixth player in MLB history to accomplish this milestone.
Before the historic night, Ohtani had 39 homers and 39 stolen bases. He stole a base in the fourth inning but struggled in his next two at-bats. With the game tied in the bottom of the ninth and the bases loaded, he hit a first-pitch home run from Colin Poche, leading the Dodgers to a 7-3 victory.
Ohtani reached the 40/40 mark in just 126 games, breaking the previous record of 147 games held by Alfonso Soriano in 2006. With over a month left in the season, he has the potential to become the first player in MLB history with 45 home runs and 45 stolen bases in a single season.
A look at the previous members of the 40/40 club highlights the significance of Ohtani’s achievement:
1988: Jose Canseco, Oakland Athletics: .307/.391/.569/.959; 42 HR, 40 SB
Canseco was the first player to achieve this milestone, showcasing a rare combination of power and speed. He won the AL MVP that year, though his team fell short in the World Series.
1996: Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants: .308/.461/.615/1.076; 42 HR, 40 SB
Bonds, celebrated for his exceptional abilities, put together a strong 40/40 season, but the Giants finished last in their division.
1998: Álex Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners: .310/.360/.560/.919; 42 HR, 46 SB
Rodríguez’s performance included the most stolen bases among 40/40 members, but despite leading in several categories, the Mariners finished under .500.
2006: Alfonso Soriano, Washington Nationals: .277/.351/.560/.911; 46 HR, 41 SB
Soriano was the first player to hit over 45 home runs and steal over 40 bases in a season. While he set a franchise record with his 46 homers, the Nationals didn’t make the playoffs that year.
2023: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves: .337/.416/.596/1.012; 41 HR, 73 SB
Acuña surpassed expectations by achieving a stunning 40/40 season while leading the league in stolen bases and hitting a historic mark of 30 home runs and 60 steals earlier in the season. He received the MVP award for his performance.
2024: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers: .292/.378/.614/.992; 40 HR, 40 SB (33 games remaining)
Ohtani’s impressive season positions him as a front-runner for the MVP award once again, and with his recent performance, he is on the path to potentially achieving a remarkable 50/50 season.