Shohei Ohtani is on the verge of achieving a remarkable milestone with a potential 50-50 season, an achievement never before seen in Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar stole three bases in Monday’s 11–6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, bringing his season total to 46 stolen bases. He also hit his 44th home run of the year just days earlier in an 8–6 win against Arizona.
Shohei Ohtani: LA Dodgers superstar edges closer to historic 50-50 with three steals against Arizona Diamondbacks | CNN #Dodgers https://t.co/dwV04EMgWr
— East L.A. News (@EASTLA_NEWS) September 3, 2024
During Monday’s game, Ohtani showcased his impressive speed and base-running skills. His first stolen base came in the fourth inning after he reached first on a walk from pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez. Later, in the seventh inning, he added two more steals after hitting a single off reliever Jordan Montgomery. Ohtani stole second base and then advanced to third just two pitches later.
All three of Ohtani’s steals came against Adrian Del Castillo, a backup catcher who was filling in for the injured regular starter Gabriel Moreno. Del Castillo has struggled to throw out base stealers, successfully catching just one of 22 attempts this season. Teoscar Hernández also stole a base in the seventh inning against the Diamondbacks’ replacement pitcher, Slade Cecconi.
Ohtani’s previous personal best for stolen bases in a season was 26, achieved in 2021, the same year he won his first American League MVP award. That season, however, he was also caught stealing 10 times, tying for the most in the league. This year, Ohtani has made a concerted effort to increase his base stealing, likely motivated by his move to the leadoff spot after Mookie Betts was sidelined with an injury. His current focus on hitting and base running, rather than pitching, as he recovers from elbow surgery, has also played a role in his aggressive approach on the basepaths.
New MLB rules, such as the introduction of the pitch clock, larger bases, and limitations on pickoff attempts, have likely aided Ohtani’s increased stealing success this season. With only 24 games remaining, Ohtani has ample opportunity to hit the six home runs and steal four more bases needed to complete a historic 50-50 season.
He does it all! IMO 50 stolen bases is in the bag but we’ll see about the 50 HRs. #ShoheiOhtanihttps://t.co/nUUr8Y9daX
— David K 🤔 (@Tele1953) September 3, 2024
In addition to Ohtani’s standout performance, the Dodgers’ lineup had a productive day at the plate. Ohtani himself went 2-for-4, lifting his batting average to .293 and his OPS to .995. Mookie Betts contributed with a 2-for-4 effort and three RBIs, Freddie Freeman hit 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs, and Hernández had a perfect 5-for-5 day. The Dodgers racked up a total of 17 hits in the win.
The victory allowed the Dodgers (81–55) to extend their lead over the Diamondbacks (77–61) in the NL West, increasing their first-place margin from four games to six. With no more head-to-head games against the Dodgers, Arizona may have lost its best chance to close the gap and compete for the division title. The Diamondbacks now find themselves trailing the San Diego Padres by a game in the division standings after the Padres’ 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers. Arizona’s hopes may now rest on securing a wild-card playoff spot.
Key Points:
i. Shohei Ohtani is nearing a historic 50-50 season with 46 stolen bases and 44 home runs.
ii. Ohtani stole three bases in a single game against the Diamondbacks, capitalizing on a backup catcher.
iii. The Dodgers extended their NL West lead over the Diamondbacks to six games with a strong offensive performance.
iv. New MLB rules have helped Ohtani increase his base-stealing efforts this season.
v. The Diamondbacks’ division title hopes have diminished, now likely aiming for a wild-card spot.
RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
