Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani steals third base during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thursday, July 4, 2024, in Los Angeles.
13:02 JST, September 12, 2024
Shohei Ohtani is inching closer to becoming the sole member of an exclusive club.
He is already the sixth player in Major League history and the fastest player ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, doing so in just 126 games.
He is the only player to have reached the 40-40 mark in the same game, and he did it in style, with a game-winning grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning on August 23.
“He’s very goal-oriented,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He loves to break records.”
For Ohtani, it’s possible he could become the first member of the 50-50 club.
On Wednesday, he hit his 47th home run and stole his 48th base with three weeks left in the regular season.
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AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, second from left, hits a solo home run as Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee, left, looks on with catcher Bo Naylor, right, and home plate umpire Dan Bellino during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. -
AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Shohei Ohtani (17), designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, runs the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Los Angeles, Friday, June 21, 2024. Austin Barnes also scored. -
AP Photo/Ashley Landis
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Los Angeles, Saturday, May 4, 2024. -
AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers steals second base against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. -
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (right) advances to first base for a two-run home run as Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Zach Plesac looks on during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. -
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
This image, released by Lionsgate, shows Adam Driver (left) and Nathalie Emmanuel in a scene from “Megalopolis.” -
Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers last December. The Japanese superstar has not pitched this season — his first with the Dodgers after six years with the Los Angeles Angels — as he continues his rehabilitation following surgery on an injured elbow ligament he suffered a year ago. That has allowed Ohtani to focus on his hitting.
Los Angeles leads the National League West and will advance to the postseason in October, a first for Ohtani. He did not reach the postseason with the Angels and they never had a winning record during his time in Anaheim.
