Shohei Ohtani’s Historic 2024 Season: A Quest For Baseball Immortality
Shohei Ohtani is rewriting baseball history, one swing at a time making the Dodgers the favorite to win the 2024 World Series
- Ohtani became the first MLB player to achieve a 50-50 season (home runs and stolen bases) and still has a slim chance to reach 60-60.
- He’s also on track to win his third MVP award, cementing his status as one of the most versatile and dominant players in the league.
- The Dodgers are favored to win the 2024 World Series.
Shohei Ohtani continues to redefine what’s possible in Major League Baseball. He’s known for his extraordinary dual-role capabilities as both a hitter and a pitcher, and he made history a week ago by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season
That achievement cements his status as one of the most versatile and dominant players in the 121-year history of the game. Only five players of the 20,780 who’ve competed in the majors have reached the 40-40 club, making Ohtani’s 50-50 feat especially remarkable.
Besides his power at the plate and speed on the bases, the 30-year-old Ohtani is also an elite pitcher. As a rare two-way player, he can dominate both on the mound and in the batter’s box, a combination almost unheard of in modern baseball.
Few players have matched this level of dual-threat success; even legends like slugger Babe Ruth, who briefly excelled as a pitcher, soon became a full-time hitter. Ohtani’s ability to sustain excellence in both pitching and hitting truly sets him apart even though an elbow injury has kept him off the mound this year.
Before arriving in the United States, the 6’ 4”, 209-pound Ohtani achieved superstar status in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league, playing for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2013 to 2017. In Japan, Ohtani won the Pacific League MVP in 2016 and helped the Fighters win the Japan Series that year.
Ohtani has already claimed two American League Most Valuable Player Awards with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023 and is expected to secure a third in 2024—this time in the National League, as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As the highest-paid player in baseball (highlighted below), Ohtani’s value goes beyond the numbers. And with the playoffs fast approaching, he’s poised to compete for a World Series title, adding another chapter to his remarkable career.
Ohtani in historical context
After just six years in Major League Baseball (including 2024), Shohei Ohtani has already amassed an impressive collection of awards. He’s a four-time All-Star (2021–2024), the 2023 Hank Aaron Award winner, and a two-time Silver Slugger recipient. He’s won two MVP awards and is on track to claim a third in 2024. Earning three MVP titles in six seasons is nothing short of extraordinary.
Only 11 players have won at least three MVP awards. Mike Trout—Ohtani’s former teammate on the Los Angeles Angels—is one of them, but his career began back in 2011. The all-time leader in MVP awards, Barry Bonds, won seven.
If Ohtani stays healthy, he could capture three or four more MVP awards, putting him within striking distance of Bonds’ historic mark. Bonds is the only player to achieve the 500-500 club—500 home runs and 500 stolen bases. If Ohtani transitions to a full-time hitting role, as Babe Ruth did, that would undoubtedly boost his chances of catching Bonds.
Ohtani’s record day
Some analysts rate Ohtani’s single-game performance on Sept. 19, 2024 as one of the most dominant in baseball history. He not only hit his 50th home run and swiped his 50th base but also put together what some are calling the best-ever game by an offensive player.
All told, Ohtani went six-for-six at the plate with five extra-base hits (two doubles and three home runs), collected 10 RBIs and stole two bases. According to Neil Paine, a sportswriter at fivethirtyeight.com, that performance rates as the best in history for the base-out runs added (RE24) statistic, which rates the “true impact” of a player’s offensive production.
As of this morning, Ohtani has 53 home runs and 55 stolen bases for the season. And with four games remaining on the Dodgers’ schedule, there’s still a chance he could achieve a 60-60 season—a feat unthinkable before this year.
Even if he falls short of that mark, Ohtani’s season has been nothing short of spectacular. And with the Dodgers favored to win the World Series, all eyes will be on Ohtani when the playoffs start on Oct. 1. A strong post season could be the crowning glory for Ohtani’s historic year.
Andrew Prochnow has more than 15 years of experience trading the global financial markets, including 10 years as a professional options trader. He is a frequent contributor to Luckbox Magazine.
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