The Los Angeles Dodgers broke the bank to land Shohei Ohtani prior to the 2024 season but the two-time MVP has been worth every penny so far. Ohtani joined the ultra-exclusive 40/40 club with a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. On Saturday, the Japanese-born sensation threw off of a mound for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery last September, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya on X.
The Dodgers signed Ohtani to a mind-boggling 10-year, $700 million pact prior to the 2024 season. The seven-year veteran hasn’t been able to pitch for his new team this year as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery. But pitching off of a mound is a big step in his eventual return to the starting rotation.
While the Dodgers have experienced a multitude of injuries to their starting pitchers, most recently losing ace Tyler Glasnow to the 15-day IL with right elbow tendinitis, and Ohtani is recovering nicely from his surgery, the team shot down the idea of him pitching this season.
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound
Still, Ohtani has made the most of his time as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. With Friday night’s game-winning grand slam, he’s up to 40 home runs on the season. He also has 40 steals this year, a new career high. The combo puts him in some very exclusive company.
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Ohtani is one of just six players to ever have 40 home runs and 40 steals in a season. In addition to the 2024 NL MVP frontrunner, only Ronald Acuna Jr. (2023), Alfonso Soriano (2006), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Barry Bonds (1996) and Jose Canseco (1988) have accomplished the rare feat. And none of those players followed it up by pitching off a mound the following day.
Entering play on Saturday, Ohtani is up to 29 doubles, 40 homers, 92 RBI and 40 steals. He leads the National League in runs scored (97), slugging percentage (.614), OPS (.992), OPS+ (175) and total bases (307). The four-time All-Star has put up an astounding 6.5 bWAR as a designated hitter in 126 games so far this season. Ohtani is well on his way to claiming his third-career MVP award and his first with the Dodgers.
