Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani became the first player in recorded Major League Baseball history to both homer and steal 50 times in a single season on Thursday in an unforgettable afternoon against the Miami Marlins. Ohtani entered the contest two home runs and a stolen base short of the mark. Yet he went above and beyond, as he is wont to do, by collecting three home runs and stealing two bases on the day. He is now, technically, in the 51-51 club.
There’s a rhythm to how these things work. Whenever a player stretches the collective imagination by accomplishing a feat that was previously thought to be unattainable, it’s just a matter of time before someone asks: so, who will be the next to do it? That, dear reader, is the question we’ve decided to attempt to answer in this space.
Let’s be clear about something: there’s a very good chance that Ohtani remains the lone member of the 50-50 club for some time. Only six players have ever recorded a 40-40 season; adding 10 more home runs and 10 more stolen bases on top of that is … well, pardon our use of scientific terminology here but: tough.
With that established, we still thought it would make for a fun thought experiment. So, here are six players who have the kind of dynamic skill sets necessary to even dream about such a thing. (Do note that the players are presented in no particular order.)
The case for De La Cruz is logical in one respect: he’s already demonstrated his ability to post a 50-steal season. In fact, he’s the only MLB player this year with more stolen bases than Ohtani. De La Cruz’s 24 home runs aren’t as impressive comparatively, but his average exit velocity this season is one of the sport’s 30 best, and he happens to play in the friendliest home-run environment in all the majors. Add in how De La Cruz is only 22, and it stands to reason that he has some even bigger years ahead.
Chourio, 20, has already entered his name into the record books this season by becoming the youngest player in MLB history with a 20-20 effort. To think, he pulled off that feat despite entering June having launched just five home runs and swiped seven bases over Milwaukee’s first 58 games as part of his introduction to the majors. We feel pretty confident that Chourio is going to notch a few 30-30 seasons before he’s said and done. His extreme youth and talent could allow him to go even further.
Witt, 24, is applying the finishing touches to his third and (to date) best big-league season. For his career, he’s averaged 29 home runs and 38 stolen bases per 162 games. Witt has shown the capacity for more steals, having swiped 49 last year. He’s also just established a new single-season best in home runs, with 32. One factor working against him is his dedication to hitting the ball back up the middle. If Witt ever becomes more pull conscious, there’s a real chance his homer numbers would shoot up. Of course, what Witt is doing seems to be working out just fine for him, so we’re not sure he should go changing things for the sake of trying to match Ohtani’s brilliant marks.
4. Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
Acuña, you may recall, made history last year by joining the 40-40 club in a memorable way. The Braves star smashed 41 homers while stealing a whopping 73 bases on his way to NL MVP honors. Ohtani is the only other player to steal more than 50 bases while homering at least 40 times in the same season. Alas, Acuña Jr. tore his ACL early in the 2024 season and we won’t see him again until next spring. He’s bounced back from this injury once to reach MVP heights. It’s not unreasonable to think he could do so again and join Ohtani in the 50-50 club.
5. José Ramírez, 3B, Guardians
Ramírez, 32, is the oldest player on this list. We’re obligated to include him because, if you hadn’t noticed, he has a chance at joining the 40-40 club himself. Through Thursday’s game, he’s at 35 home runs and 39 stolen bases. The Guardians have a playoff spot sewed up and should soon secure the American League Central title, making it possible that they prioritize rest to personal accomplishments over the season’s final week. Still, it seems reasonable to mention a reliable 30-30 candidate like Ramírez before reaching for players who haven’t achieved either mark in a year.
Think of Cruz as an older (he’s 25), less accomplished version of De La Cruz. He clearly has the physical components to do serious damage to a statsheet. He’s responsible for the hardest struck ball in MLB this season (121.5 mph), and his average exit velocity is second to only Aaron Judge among qualified hitters. Additionally, Cruz ranks in the 88th percentile in sprint speed and near the top of the majors in “bolts,” suggesting that he can really get after it when needed. There’s just one problem: those immense athletic traits haven’t yet turned into eye-popping numbers. He’s having his best season to date, but his per-162 career averages include 26 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Cruz’s next home run will give him his first 20-20 effort; he has the potential for much more, but we suppose that everyone has to start somewhere.
We’ll close out with a completely speculative pick. Wood, 22, made his big-league debut in July. As such, he’s not yet appeared in even a half season’s worth of games. What we know about Wood is that: 1) he’s capable of hitting the ball extremely hard (his average exit velocity in the majors is over 92 mph); and 2) he’s a much faster runner than you’d expect from a player listed at 6-foot-7 (his sprint speed is in line with the likes of CJ Abrams, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Masyn Winn). The Nationals would probably rather have Wood focus on hitting 50 home runs than stealing 50 bases, but at this point in his career, why not dream a little? Nothing is impossible, everything is within reach.
