Ohtani is on the verge of joining MLB’s 50/50 club, which at the moment is a club of zero. No one has ever recorded 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season, but the Dodgers star is on track to hit both milestones before the end of the season at his current pace.

Just when you think Shohei Ohtani has done it all, he does something never before seen in MLB history.

The Dodgers knew Ohtani’s value might be more limited than usual in 2024 because he couldn’t pitch after undergoing elbow surgery last September, but the four-time All-Star is well-positioned to win his third MVP award anyway. A 50/50 season would be the final stamp on another season for the ages for the Japanese superstar.

The Sporting News is tracking Ohtani’s chase for a 50/50 season. Follow along below with his pace as he pursues history.

Shohei Ohtani stats 2024GamesAVGHRRBISBOPSOPS+146.2904710648.987175

Shohei Ohtani home run pace

Ohtani has 47 home runs through Sept. 15, putting him on pace for 51 home runs by the end of the season.

The Dodgers only have 13 games remaining, so it’s not a foregone conclusion that Ohtani gets to 50 home runs. Just one mild slump could derail his pursuit of a 50/50 season, though it’s unlikely Ohtani cares too much about individual feats at this point.

If there’s a reason to believe Ohtani can get it done, he’s been red hot of late. The two-time MVP has 12 home runs in his last 32 games, and anything remotely close to that pace over the season’s final two-plus weeks would quickly get Ohtani past 50.

For all he’s accomplished over the last four years, 50 home runs would be a first for Ohtani. His career-high entering 2023 was 46, coming in 2021 with the Angels. Ohtani has already soared past that mark by reaching 47, but he can enter a more exclusive club with 50 home runs.

Ohtani would be the first player in Dodgers history to hit 50 home runs in a season; Shawn Green currently holds the franchise record with 49 in 2001.

Shohei Ohtani stolen base pace

Ohtani has 48 stolen bases, putting him on pace for 52 by the end of the season.

50 stolen bases is much more within Ohtani’s control than 50 home runs, even beyond the fact he’s closer to the stolen base milestone. Just reaching base, whether via walk or another type of hit, gives Ohtani a chance to steal. He walks plenty, and his recent home run binge will likely keep teams pitching around him down the stretch.

Of course, Ohtani could also attempt more steals late in the season if he’s still chasing the 50/50 club. The Dodgers have a moderate lead in the NL West and could wrap up the division several days before the end of the regular season, giving Ohtani a chance to have some fun.

Ohtani has made it clear that he values winning over individual accolades, though, so don’t expect him to take too many unnecessary risks just to reach a milestone.

MLB 50-50 club

MLB’s 50/50 club won’t exist unless or until Ohtani creates it. No player has ever hit 50 home runs and stolen 50 bases in the same season, putting the Dodgers star on a path to history.

The closest misses can be found in the similarly thin 40/40 club — and they weren’t very close at all.

Alex Rodriguez stole 46 bases in 1998 but still finished eight home runs shy of 50 with 42. Alfonso Soriano hit 46 home runs in 2006, but his 41 stolen bases didn’t seriously threaten the milestone he needed. In 2023, Acuna fell well short of 50 home runs when he finished with 41.

Ohtani is already the first player to record 47 home runs and 47 stolen bases in a season. Now, even more history is on the table.

Most home runs in an MLB season

50 home runs would be a terrific feat for Ohtani, but 50 or even a few more wouldn’t come close to the top of the all-time leaderboard for a single season.

Barry Bonds remains the single-season home run leader with 73 in 2001. If you want to find a player who didn’t admit to or isn’t strongly suspected of using steroids, you would have to go all the way down to seventh on the list with Aaron Judge’s 62 home runs from 2022.

Ohtani simply doesn’t have enough time to catch up to Judge, but 50 home runs is rare in itself.

Since 2008, only a handful of players have hit 50 home runs in a season: Judge, Matt Olson, Pete Alonso, Giancarlo Stanton, Chris Davis and Jose Bautista. To hit 50 with 50 stolen bases, which Ohtani is on track to do, is unprecedented.

Most stolen bases in an MLB season

50 stolen bases would also be quite the accomplishment for Ohtani, but it wouldn’t come close to the single-season record of 138 or the modern era record of 130.

While many stolen base records were set in the 1800s when the game was vastly different than it is today, three players exceeded 50 stolen bases in 2023, including Ronald Acuna Jr.’s total of 73 on his way to the NL MVP award.

Elly De La Cruz is set to lead the league this season with more than 60, and players who have stolen at least 60 bases since 2010 include Dee Strange-Gordon, Michael Bourn and Jonathan Villar.

The inescapable fact, however, is that no one has done this with 50 home runs. A 50/50 season would put Ohtani in a class of his own.