Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani made history again on Friday night. He hit his 45th home run of the season, a massive solo shot to center field off Cleveland Guardians lefty Matthew Boyd. This brings him closer to becoming the first player in baseball history with 50 home runs and 50 steals in a single season.
Here’s a clip of Ohtani’s incredible 45th homer:
https://streamable.com/m/matthew-boyd-in-play-run-s-to-shohei-ohtani?partnerId=web_multimedia-search_video-share
In addition to his home run, Ohtani also had a single during the game but didn’t attempt any steals. With only 21 games left in the season, he needs just five more homers and four more steals to reach this unprecedented milestone. Currently, his stats for the season stand at 45 homers and 46 steals—both personal bests.
Ohtani reached the 40-40 club with a walk-off grand slam on August 24, achieving this feat faster than anyone else in history by doing it in just 129 games. Here are other players who have joined the exclusive 40-40 club:
| Player |
Year |
HR |
SB |
| Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves |
2023 |
41 |
73 |
| Alfonso Soriano, Washington Nationals |
2006 |
46 |
41 |
| Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners |
1998 |
42 |
The Road to Becoming a Legend:
If Ohtani achieves the elusive 50-50 mark, he will not only be making history as the first player ever to do so but will join an even more exclusive group of players who have had both a 50-homer season and a separate 50-steal season. Only Barry Bonds (73 homers in ’01, 52 steals in ’90) and Brady Anderson (50 homers in ’96, 53 steals in ’92) have accomplished this.
For this season, Ohtani is hitting .281/.376/.617 with those impressive stats: leading the National League in homers (45), RBI (100), OPS (.993), OPS+ (177), total bases (339), and WAR (7.2). He’s well-positioned for his third MVP award—and his first one from playing in the NL.
Fans might think that Ohtani is unstoppable right now!
Next up for Ohtani and the Dodgers is facing right-hander Gavin Williams from the Guardians on Saturday. Interestingly enough, it’s going to be their first-ever matchup.
What do you think about Ohtani’s chances of hitting that magical number?
Joshua CollinsJoshua Collins is a Senior Writer for BaseballHype.com. With a profound passion for baseball and a diverse background in Sports Media, Joshua joined the team in 2023. As an avid fan of the game, he brings an insightful perspective and an uncanny ability to dissect the intricate details of baseball. Joshua consistently delivers the latest news, engaging features, and game results.
