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Shohei Ohtani Tracker: Dodgers star hits unprecedented 50-50 season – can he reach 55-55?

Shohei Ohtani reached the unprecedented 50-50 season by hitting 50 home runs and having 50 steals in the same season on September 19. He then reached the 51-51 club in the same game, helping his team to the first playoff berth of his career.

Since that incredible game, Ohtani has continued to add to his legend by hitting two more home runs and stealing four more bases in the Dodgers' weekend series against the Colorado Rockies. Ohtani's 53rd home run in the ninth inning on Sunday tied the game just before Mookie Betts sealed it for a 6-5 Dodgers victory.

The Dodgers begin their final home series of the regular season on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, who are three games behind LA in the NL West. How will Ohtani cap off his 2024 season with six games left in the playoffs?

Ohtani reached his 50-50 mark with one of the best offensive games in MLB history: 6-for-6, three home runs, two stolen bases, two doubles, four runs and 10 RBI. His 50th home run also broke Shawn Green's 2001 record for most home runs in Dodgers history.

The final piece of the puzzle came in the seventh inning of the September 19 game against the Miami Marlins, when reliever Mike Baumann came on.

Ohtani had already reached the half-century mark of steals early in the first inning by stealing third base after opening the game with a double.

The star DH later scored a run to give Los Angeles an early 1-0 lead over Miami. He recorded his 51st steal in the second inning after reaching base on an RBI single and reaching second base without throwing.

His 49th home run came in the sixth inning, and it was a big one. Statcast measured it at 111.2 mph and 438 feet, giving the Dodgers a 9-3 lead.

Considering Ohtani was ejected while attempting to turn a double into a triple in the third, he was just seconds away from getting a cycle.

The exclamation point came in the ninth inning against pitcher Vidal Brujan. Ohtani hit a home run, making it the first game with three home runs and two stolen bases in MLB history and the 16th game with 10 RBIs in MLB history.

Thursday was also Ohtani’s 13th game of the season with at least one home run and one steal, which tied him with Rickey Henderson in 1986, who according to Fabian Ardaya of The AthleticOhtani took sole possession of the record on Friday when he hit his 52nd home run and stole base No. 52.

Besides creating the 50-50 club, Ohtani has done more than enough to make his first season with the Dodgers a memorable one.

Ohtani has broken new ground when it comes to reaching specific home run and stolen base numbers. In August, he became the sixth player ever to reach 40-40 – joining Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodríguez, Alfonso Soriano and Ronald Acuña Jr. – and did so in record time. The earliest player to reach both thresholds was Soriano on September 16, 2006.

And Ohtani’s 40th home run was something special: a walk-off grand slam.

Rodriguez previously held the record for most home runs in both categories, with 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases in 1998. Ohtani matched that 42-42 season record on his bobblehead night on August 28 and surpassed it two days later on August 30.

Ohtani's home run count surpasses his previous career high of 46, set in 2021, his first MVP year, and he broke his previous record for steals (26, also in 2021). He currently leads the NL in home runs and trails only Elly De La Cruz in steals.

And of course, Ohtani set records in both contract size ($700 million) and deferred contract payments ($680 million) when he signed with the Dodgers before this season.

Ohtani has built his career on unprecedented accomplishments, and even in a season where he won't be able to pitch due to UCL surgery in late 2023, he's still doing things the MLB has never seen.

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