That Ohtani became the fastest to ever join the 40/40 club is just one more example of his incredible talent.
Ohtani's 40th home run of the season came in style: a walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays. was the most unique player in baseball history, the 2024 season has proved that beyond all doubt. And he didn't have to throw a pitch to do it.
By the time Canseco became the first 40/40 player in 1988, things had changed; it was a much-lauded feat in the moment. Even with the group now growing to six, the feat remains remarkable and rare. It's not just because of the numbers but what they represent: Power and speed. We just haven't seen all that many players who combined both at an elite level and those who did rank among the game's all-time greats.
The Dodgers have 33 games remaining, and let's say Ohtani plays in them all. Over his past 33 games, going back to July 13, he has posted 11 homers and 17 steals, the latter pace accelerating so rapidly that he hit 40/40 before we barely had a chance to get excited about it. If he matches that pace the rest of the way, we're talking 51 homers and 57 steals -- a Power-Speed Number of 53.82.
I refigured every player's homer and steal totals to match the average rates of the division era. Because this season is higher than the historical norm in both categories , it takes a little bit of steam out of 2024 players. With that in mind, here is a revised all-time top 15:Some of this list is skewed by players who put up out-of-proportion seasons in extreme league contexts. Ken Williams hit an AL-leading 39 homers in 1922 .
None of this is meant to demean Ohtani's milestone performance. It's quite the opposite: What Ohtani has done is more than surpass arbitrary round numbers in two counting-stat categories. As a hitter and all-around offensive player, he has placed himself in a group with some of the best that baseball has ever seen.
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