Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar Shohei Ohtani is putting the finishing touches on a season for the ages.
Already making history by establishing the exclusive 50/50 club with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, Ohtani continues to find new ways to astonish baseball fans with just days left until the playoffs begin.
On Thursday night, Ohtani delivered yet another remarkable performance in the Dodgers’ win over the San Diego Padres. Going 3-for-5 at the plate, Ohtani achieved a milestone that hasn’t been reached in over 20 years. He became the first player since 2001 to amass over 400 total bases in a season, joining an elite group of just 19 players in baseball history to accomplish this feat.
It’s a milestone that has been achieved only 30 times since 1900, and Ohtani is the first to do it since Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Todd Helton, and Luis Gonzalez all reached the mark in 2001.
Given the incredible talent in today’s game, it’s somewhat surprising that no one has managed to reach 400 total bases since those legendary names did it over two decades ago. But Shohei Ohtani is not your average player—he is redefining what is possible on the baseball field.
Ohtani’s total of 97 extra-base hits this season has been a key factor in reaching the 400 total bases mark. With just a few games left in the regular season, he has a chance to add even more to his already impressive tally.
If he can manage three more extra-base hits, he would become the first player to reach 100 extra-base hits since Bonds, Sosa, Helton, and Gonzalez all accomplished the feat in 2001. Such a milestone would further cement Ohtani’s place among the game’s all-time greats.
The accolades keep piling up for the Dodgers’ two-way sensation, but there’s still one more prestigious achievement he could potentially claim before the season ends. Ohtani is quietly in the hunt for the National League batting title, with his .305 batting average just seven points behind Miami Marlins star Luis Arraez.
If Ohtani manages to overtake Arraez, he would become the first National League Triple Crown winner since Joe Medwick did it for the St. Louis Cardinals back in 1937.
As the regular season comes to a close and the playoffs loom, Ohtani’s historic campaign is providing baseball fans with a rare glimpse of greatness. The combination of power, speed, and consistency he has displayed this year is something that hasn’t been seen in generations.
Whether it’s crushing home runs, swiping bases, or chasing batting titles, Shohei Ohtani continues to prove that he is in a league of his own.
The Dodgers and their fans can only watch in awe as Shohei Ohtani continues to elevate the game, rewriting the record books and setting new standards for what a baseball player can achieve.
