Shohei Ohtani is the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, needing just 126 games.
He’s the only player to hit the 40-40 mark in the same game. He did it in style, too, on a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on Aug. 23.
“He’s very goal-oriented,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He likes to take down records.”
On the horizon for Ohtani is potentially becoming the first member of the 50-50 club.
He slugged his 46th homer on Sunday and has 46 steals with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The two-way Japanese superstar hasn’t pitched this season — his first with the Dodgers after six years with the Los Angeles Angels — as he rehabilitates after surgery for an injured elbow ligament that he had a year ago.
That has allowed Ohtani to focus on his hitting.
Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers last December.
Los Angeles leads the National League West and will be headed to the postseason in October, which will be another first for Ohtani.
He didn’t reach the postseason with the Angels, and they never had a winning record during his tenure in Anaheim.
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
