It continues to be a fine season for Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. On Friday, Ohtani set the Major League Baseball record for most stolen bases in a season by a Japanese player with 57. He accomplished the feat in a dominant 11-4 Dodgers win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
When did Ohtani’s stolen base take place?
Ohtani’s stolen base came in the top of the second inning on a double steal when he stole second base. On the same play, third baseman Chris Taylor of Virginia Beach, Virginia stole home, and Ohtani reached third base on an error by Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings.
Who had the old stolen base record?
Ichiro Suzuki of Nishi Kasugai-gun, Japan had the old record of 56 stolen bases. It was part of Suzuki’s magical 2001 Major League Baseball regular season with the Seattle Mariners. Suzuki led the Major Leagues with 242 hits and 56 stolen bases, and the American League with a .350 batting average. Suzuki was also the 2001 American League Most Valuable Player and won the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year. Suzuki became the second player ever to win the AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year in the same season. The first player to accomplish the feat was Fred Lynn of Chicago, Illinois, who received both honours with the Boston Red Sox in 1975.
Ohtani in 2024
Ohtani is batting .310 with 54 home runs and 130 runs batted in. He leads the Major Leagues in runs scored (134) and total bases (410). Ohtani also leads the National League with 54 home runs, 130 runs batted in, an on base percentage of .391, slugging percentage of .649, and on base plus slugging percentage of 1.04. Ohtani also has 196 hits, 38 doubles, seven triples, 58 stolen bases, and 81 walks. Ohtani collected his 58th stolen base on Saturday in a 13-2 Dodgers win over the Rockies. What is remarkable is that Ohtani is having this remarkable season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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