Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Closing in on Historic 50-50 Season

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani put the baseball world on 50-50 watch Monday, when he stole three bases against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With 46 stolen bases, 44 home runs, and 24 games to play, the only thing standing between Ohtani and MLB’s first 50-50 season is his health.

At his current pace, Ohtani is set to finish the season with 51 homers and 54 steals.

See more

Shohei Ohtani is on pace for 51 home runs and 54 stolen bases

No player has ever had that combination in a season

his 44 is already the highest total a player has reached in BOTH HR & SB in a season https://t.co/bVtj63P6Pp

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 2, 2024

Fans, writers, managers, coaches, and teammates have been heaping superlatives on Ohtani for so long, there isn’t much left to say.

However, 50-50 watch is unique. Only Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Alfonso Soriano, and Ronald Acuña Jr. have ever reached the 40-40 mark before Ohtani did so on Aug. 24.

Read more: Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Joins 40-40 Club in Dramatic Fashion

Ohtani was asked about the potential for a 50-50 season recently. He told reporters, including Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain, “The most important thing is to contribute to winning the game, and the closer I get to 50/50, the more I’m contributing to the team winning.”

See more

Shohei Ohtani is now on pace to be the first player to have a 50/50 season. I asked him about 50/50:

“The most important thing is to contribute to winning the game, and the closer I get to 50/50, the more I’m contributing to the team winning.”

He’s all about the team & winning pic.twitter.com/zWji7nK2TW

— Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA) August 24, 2024

Ohtani is already the inaugural member of the 43-43 club. Chasing that unique threshold wasn’t enough to earn a dedicated segment on ESPN’s SportsCenter at the top of the 6 p.m. ET hour Tuesday — which Ohtani’s 50-50 chase was.

Ohtani is expected to be back in the leadoff spot Tuesday when the Dodgers visit the Angels. It will be the first regular season game Ohtani plays in Anaheim as a member of an opposing team. He spent his first six seasons (2018-23) with the Angels before signing a record 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last December.

With 50-50 on the line, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts used the occasion to insert a little levity in the dialogue Monday.

“I was thinking about giving him an off-day tomorrow,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters in Phoenix, via MLB.com’s Michael Reynolds. “How would that go? Would that go over OK?”

See more

The Angels had a tribute video for Shohei Ohtani in his return to Anaheim.

The game was paused for a little over a minute.

He got a loud cheer and thanked the fans.

Here’s the video: pic.twitter.com/3LIyTqqmXw

— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) March 27, 2024

Will the Angels Recognize Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday?

Ohtani’s first official game back in Anaheim has prompted a question: how will the Angels recognize the occasion?

A better question might be “if.”

Although they already recognized Ohtani prior to the Angels’ home exhibition game against the Dodgers in March, the Angels had no plans to honor Ohtani before Tuesday’s game, according to a new report Tuesday from Sam Blum of The Athletic. A team spokesman noted to Blum that it’s possible that could change.

Ohtani told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times on Monday that he’s moved on from pondering questions about what would have happened if the Angels had matched the Dodgers’ contract offer to him last December.

See more

Ahead of his return to Anaheim tomorrow, asked Shohei Ohtani if he was surprised the Angels didn’t match the $700 million offer he signed with the Dodgers –– and whether he might still be an Angel if they had

His answers in Japanese (h/t @dylanohernandez on translation): pic.twitter.com/Cr85z1ah4S

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) September 3, 2024

Perhaps the Angels have moved on, as well.