Shohei Ohtani just joined the exclusive 40-40 club in baseball.
On Friday night, during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Ohtani hit his 40th home run of the season and stole his 40th base. This makes him only the sixth player ever to achieve this feat, and he did it in just 129 games—the fastest ever.
In the fourth inning, after reaching base with an infield single, Ohtani stole his 40th base. Later on, he hit a dramatic walk-off grand slam off Colin Poche to secure a win for the Dodgers (LA 7, TB 3). It was his first career walk-off homer. Check out the video below:
This is Ohtani’s third time hitting at least 40 home runs in a season over the last four years. He hit 46 homers in 2021 and another 44 in 2023, both times winning MVP unanimously. However, this year’s stolen bases are a personal best for him—previously he had never stolen more than 26 bases in a season.
Ohtani’s Aggressive Base Stealing:
It looks like Ohtani aimed for this milestone from early on. He started slow with five steals in April but picked up pace with eight steals in May and three more in June. By July and August, he was stealing bases left and right—12 each month! With some games still left to play this season, fans might wonder if he can achieve an unprecedented first-ever 50-50 season.
Interestingly enough, no player has reached these milestones faster than Ohtani. Here’s how other members of the club compare:
| Player | Year | HR | SB | Games Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves | 2023 | 41 | 73 | Game 154 |
| Alfonso Soriano, Nationals | 2006 | 46 | 41 | Game153 |
| Alex Rodriguez Mariners | 1998 | 42 | 46 | -Game153 |
| Barry Bonds Giants | -1996- | 42- | -40- | Game160 |
| -Jose Canseco Athletics -1988– | -42– | -40– | -Game154 |
Achieving a spot in the club doesn’t guarantee MVP status—only Acuña and Canseco won MVPs when they went 40-40—but it certainly strengthens Ohtani’s case as one of baseball’s elite players.
Ohtani is currently on Year One of his massive $700 million contract spanning ten years. The deal includes heavy deferrals that bring its present value down to about $460 million but still stands as one of history’s largest contracts. He’s also rehabbing from elbow surgery with plans to return to pitching by 2025.
Friday’s victory boosted the Dodgers’ record to an impressive mark of 77-52 for this season. They’ve now won five consecutive games and hold a four-game lead over Arizona Diamondbacks.
What do you think about Ohtani’s amazing achievements?
