(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani keeps getting records even when he is limited by injury.
Due to an elbow injury, he has been ruled out as a pitcher for the remainder of the season.
However, that doesn’t mean he can’t keep contributing as a hitter or, in this case, as a baserunner.
“Shohei Ohtani nabs his 20th stolen base. He joins the 20 SB/40 HR club for the second time in his career!” MLB tweeted with a video of the theft.
Shohei Ohtani nabs his 20th stolen base.
He joins the 20 SB/40 HR club for the second time in his career! pic.twitter.com/wXmHX0YQKi
— MLB (@MLB) September 3, 2023
He got an amazing jump and there wasn’t even a throw to second base by the catcher.
With all the things that Ohtani can do on a baseball field, we have to make sure not to forget stealing bases.
He has accumulated 57 stolen bases over his last three years and can take one whenever he wants.
He is speedy, he is athletic, and he has a good jump and timing.
The only reason why he doesn’t do it more often is to try and preserve his body.
Since 2000, a total of 10 players have logged 40+ home runs and 20+ steals in a single season: Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Mark Reynolds, Alfonso Soriano, Curtis Granderson, Shawn Green, Christian Yelich, Ronald Acuna Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Ohtani.
A-Rod and Ohtani are the only ones to do it twice since that season.
This year, the soon-to-be-free-agent Ohtani has 44 homers and 20 thefts.
In 2021, he hit 46 round-trippers and stole 26 bases.
Oh, and he is also hitting .304 with a 1.066 OPS.
This is a generational player, quite likely the best to ever play in MLB, and he is going to be a very, very rich man in a matter of months.
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