Ohtani walks off into 40/40 history
by Mark Langill
The numbers are historical; the methods are producing hysteria.
Not content to quietly slip into the record books, Shohei Ohtani’s uncorked his signature moment as a Dodger — at least until the next one.
His walk-off grand slam on Friday night vaulted the Dodgers to a 7–3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The designated hitter became the first player in franchise history — and the fastest in Major League history — to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in the same season.
The crowd of 45,556 shouted “MVP, MVP, MVP” as his blast to right-center field off lefty reliever Colin Poche was replayed on the scoreboard. Ohtani rounded the bases as “40/40” and “Congratulations Shohei” flashed behind him. His teammates raced to home plate to await the history-making player.
He became the sixth player in Major League history to reach the 40/40 plateau. The others are Ronald Acuna Jr. (2023 Braves), Alfonso Soriano (2006 Nationals), Alex Rodriguez (1998 Mariners), Barry Bonds (1996 Giants) and Jose Canseco (1988 Athletics).
Ohtani reached the milestone in his 126th game — 20 fewer than Soriano needed in 2006.
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The previous Dodger closest to the 40/40 plateau was outfielder Matt Kemp, who had 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 2011 when he finished runner-up to Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun in the National League Most Valuable Player balloting.
Kemp was the second Dodger to reach the 30/30 club, joining outfielder Raul Mondesi, who accomplished it twice in 1997 and 1999.
Kemp, who signed a one-day contract to retire as a Dodger on Aug. 11 during Alumni Weekend festivities, only had one final plate appearance in 2011 to become a 40/40 player. He hit №39 on the final day of the regular season on Sept. 28 in Arizona, a two-run home run off Wade Miley in the seventh inning. In the ninth inning, he struck out against Ryan Cook.
“It’s special what Ohtani is doing,” Kemp said during his retirement press conference. “Nobody has ever seen anything like that. If you get Tommy John surgery as a pitcher, you don’t bring any value to your team. But to be able to go from a pitcher to a hitter, it’s incredible. He’s special.”
Although no Major League player has ever reached the 45/45 level, it’s natural to look ahead of the potential of a 50/50 feat. Ohtani’s stolen bases are the most by a Dodger since Dee Strange-Gordon, who had 64 in 2014.
A 50th home run would also surpass the Dodger franchise record for most home runs in single season. Shawn Green hit 49 in 2001.
Green was traded to the Dodgers after the 1999 season in a four-player deal that sent Mondesi to the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1998, Green became the 12th member of the 35/35 club, joining such names as Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds, Eric Davis, Darryl Strawberry, Barry Bonds and Howard Johnson.
Green, who grew up in Orange County and was drafted by the Blue Jays in 1991, said he was always a fast runner early in his career, but later learned to become a power hitter. He credited Canseco for encouraging him to run and predicted he could be a 30/30 player when he was with Toronto in 1998.
Green who hit 162 home runs and stole 63 bases with the Dodgers in the span of five seasons between 2000 and 2004, praises Dave Roberts — his former Los Angeles teammate and current Dodgers manager — for “empowering” Ohtani by involving him in the team’s running game.
Ohtani swiped his 40th base in the fourth inning after an infield single on Friday. It was uncontested as he stole second base without a throw during Freddie Freeman’s at-bat.
As a player with the Dodgers, Roberts stole more than 40 bases in each of his first two seasons. Roberts’ playing career in Los Angeles was capped at 118 stolen bases in 302 games as he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Steve Finley on July 31, 2004.
With Boston, Roberts stole arguably the most famous base in postseason history when his swipe of second base as a pinch-runner in the ninth inning of American League Championship Series Game 3 against the New York Yankees triggered a historic four-game comeback and ultimate World Series title.
Looking ahead, Green predicted the stolen bases would take more of a toll on Ohtani because of the sliding. Ohtani has stolen 40 of 44 attempts in 2024. His previous high was 26-for-36 with the Angels in 2021.
“Later in the season, my body got tired from all the running and sliding,” Green says. “But you can’t assume that’s going to happen with Ohtani. He’s doing things we haven’t seen before.”
Ohtani walks off into 40–40 history was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.