Making History: Can Shohei Ohtani Do It Once More
With 20 games remaining for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies, the race for home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs is dead even. Regardless of which ball club takes the number one seed, both of these squads are poised to make a run for the 2024 World Series title. All the while, superstar Shohei Ohtani is looking to make history of his own. In his first season with the Dodgers, signing a massive contract in free agency, Ohtani has a chance to do what has never been done before.
Shohei Ohtani is chasing Major League Baseball’s first-ever 50 home run and 50 stolen base season. With 45 home runs tallied thus far and 46 stolen bases, Ohtani certainly has a chance to reach this mark before the 2024 season is said and done. Ruled out from pitching in 2024 due to injury, many speculated this offseason that Ohtani would set his sights on the historic batting feat of the Triple Crown, becoming the first to win it since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. Leading the National League in home runs, second in runs batted in, and seventh in average Ohtani may not be able to catch up to Luis Arráez in average before the season comes to a close. However, no one expected the first 50/50 season to be on the table for Ohtani this year, proving once more why he is one of the best offensive players the game has ever seen, let alone two-way players.
Yesterday, Ohtani was hitless in four at-bats against the Cleveland Guardians including a strikeout. The Dodgers will play the Cleveland Guardians once more today before competing in a series against the Cubs, Braves, Rockies two times, Marlins, and Padres to end the season. Considering that Ohtani has converted 46/50 stolen base attempts this year, and taking into account his ability to reach base, it is safe to believe that Ohtani will certainly swipe 50 bags if he remains healthy to end the season. Home runs, on the other hand, will be a much tougher task. Ohtani will need to homer at least once out of every four games to end the season. While this is no walk in the park, it would be too soon to count the former two-time MVP out just yet.
