Unable to pitch this season, Shohei Ohtani found another way to become a two-way star. And the result is a season the likes of which have never been seen before in MLB.
With a home run and a stolen base against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ohtani became the first player to hit 43 home runs and 43 stolen bases in a single season. Alex Rodriguez was previously the only player to reach 42-42 in a season.
Ohtani did it with a solo home run in the eighth inning:
As he did when he reached 40-40 in a record time and tied Rodriguez at 42-42, Ohtani hit both figures in the same game. It was the 11th time he has hit a home run and a steal in the same game, two shy of Rickey Henderson for the MLB single-season record. by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Ohtani got the steal in the second inning, reaching second base with a no-play after D-Backs starter Zac Gallen’s throw bounced.
It was also Ohtani’s 11th home run and 15th stolen base of August. Sarah Langs of MLB.com Note that the only other player in MLB history to average 10-15 months was Carlos Beltrán in August 2004.
At 30 and in his first season with the Dodgers, Ohtani has added a new skill to what was already perhaps the most complete toolbox in baseball history. He has always been surprisingly fast for his size, with near-elite sprint speeds while with the Los Angeles Angels, but Ohtani has made a concerted effort this year to be a threat on the bases.
It’s hard to believe he’s accomplishing this while still recovering from major elbow surgery, not to mention his very public personal troubles, but Ohtani has defied belief since his career in Japan. In this case, it seems likely that it will translate into a third MVP award, which would allow him to join Frank Robinson as the only players to win the honor in both leagues.
The biggest question will be whether Ohtani can pull off a mythical 50-50 season. With a full month to play and a healthy dose of motivation, it certainly seems possible.