NBC Sports’ Vaughn Dalzell explains why Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani can become the first player in MLB history to have 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Shohei Ohtani has a 50/50 chance.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star could become the first player to have 50-plus home runs and 50-plus stolen bases in Major League Baseball history.
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Ohtani, with 31 games remaining, has 41 homers and 40 stolen bases. He became the sixth player to have a 40-40 season on Friday when he hit a walk-off grand slam for his 40th home run of the season.
He's now looking to hit and run his way into the history books for what would be considered the greatest combination of power and speed in a single season.
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It wouldn't be the first statistical club that Ohtani is the lone member of. He's already the only player in the history of the American League and National League to record 30 homers at the plate and 10 wins on the mound in a single season (2022), as well as 30 homers and 100 strikeouts (2021).
Now he has a chance to make history on the bases, by trotting around them and swiping them.
Here's a look at others in MLB history who flirted with a 50-50 season.
What is the 50-50 club in baseball?
The 50-50 club in baseball is when a player hits at least 50 home runs and steals at least 50 bases.
Has anyone ever had a 50-50 season in MLB?
Nope, Ohtani would be the first if he can accomplish it during the 2024 season.
Ronald Acuña Jr. came closest with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases just last season when he made history of his own and also won the National League MVP award.
How many players have had 40-40 seasons in MLB?
Ohtani became the sixth player in the 40-40 club. He was also the fastest to do so, reaching the dual milestones in just 126 games played. The previous fastest was Alfonso Soriano, who entered the 40-40 club in his 147th game of the season in 2006.
The first player to record a 40-40 season was Jose Canseco, who in 1988 had 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases for the Oakland Athletics.
Here is every AL and NL player in the 40-40 club:
- Jose Canseco, Oakland Athletics (1988) -- 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases
- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants (1996) -- 42 home runs and 40 stolen bases
- Alex Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (1998) -- 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases
- Alfonso Soriano, Washington Nationals (2006) -- 46 home runs and 41 stolen bases
- Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves (2023) -- 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases
- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024) -- 41 home runs and 40 stolen bases (through Aug. 26)
