It’s a sleepy morning in the concrete cavern of the Oakland Coliseum, and the game’s biggest marvel is in study hall. Shohei Ohtani is tucked into a corner of the visiting clubhouse, sitting alongside his interpreter Will Ireton and first-base coach Clayton McCullough. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star has swapped hitting and pitching for hitting and running this season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and, on this Sunday morning, Ohtani is coming off the first three-steal game of his career.
In the Oakland Coliseum’s concrete cavern, on this peaceful morning, study hall is home to the game’s greatest marvel. Tucked away in a corner of the visiting clubhouse, sitting with first-base coach Clayton McCullough and his interpreter Will Ireton sits Shohei Ohtani. This season, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star has traded in hitting and pitching for hitting and running. This Sunday morning, Ohtani is coming off his first career three-steal game.
“He’s impressed me with how much he picks up,” McCullough said.
Ohtani has made the most of his increased independence on the basepaths. He completely destroyed his prior career high of 26 stolen bases (2021) with 35 stolen bases (in 39 attempts). Ohtani has already shattered the single-season record for a primary designated hitter on a roster of lumbering sluggers. Gary Sheffield set the previous record for the most stolen bases for a DH in 2007 with 22.
Only Elly De La Cruz of Cincinnati (59) and Brice Turang of Milwaukee (36) have swiped more bases than Ohtani this season. The Dodgers star seems to have higher aspirations.
“I do think 40-40 is something that was on his radar from spring training,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Shohei Ohtani is unable to pitch this season, so he channeled his energy into becoming a dynamo on the basepaths. (Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
In big league history, just five players have completed the 40-homer, 40-steal feat: José Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Alfonso Soriano (2006), and Ronald Acuña Jr. (2023).
Although 40-40 is not a specific objective, Ohtani stated last week that “if it is the end outcome of what the season is, then I am pleased about it.”
He is on track to achieve even more. With a pace of 49 home runs (tying the Dodgers franchise record established by Shawn Green in 2001) and 47 thefts, Ohtani woke up on Friday morning with 37 home runs and 35 steals.Ohtani may be the first player to have a 45-45 season if he continues to have success. (While there have been more home runs and stolen bases by other 40-40 members, the Dodgers slugger would be the first to reach both of the 45 milestones in the same season.)
The team assumed he could steal a couple of bases. The Dodgers believed Ohtani would have opportunities because of his sprint speed, which is in the majors’ 72nd percentile. As the season has progressed, those chances have only grown. In the first month of the season, he succeeded on five out of six attempts. In May, he attempted to try his hand eight more times, and in June, only five times. However, he is progressing at the same rate this month after making 14 attempts (12 successful) in July.
“I think he has bought into stealing bases, understands the value of the stolen base, getting 90 feet,” said Roberts, who once swiped 49 bases in a season. “Hasn’t surprised me. I think it’s welcome for me, for him, because he’s in a pennant race now. And I don’t think he’s been in a pennant race in his big-league career. So his enhanced focus is not a surprise to me.”
FanGraphs’ comprehensive base-running statistic also indicates that Ohtani is playing the best he has ever played on the basepaths, which should come as no surprise. Roberts stated that after years of defeat in Anaheim, this is a reflection of participating in meaningful games. It goes beyond just trying to reach round numbers in what might be his third MVP campaign.
That Sunday morning in Oakland, Austin Barnes interrupted McCullough as he was going over the scouting reports with Ohtani. Not to offer advice as a backstop, but to chastise Ohtani for being such a superior base-stealer because of McCullough.
“With (Ohtani), I don’t know if you can be surprised,” McCullough said. “Like anything else he does, he puts his mind on something, he’s in and picks up things during the game. We’re watching video before and he’s helped me a ton. We’re breaking things down and I’ll get fixated on something and then he’s like, look at this or that.
“I think he’s always been a student of these things. I think now with having less on his plate from a preparation standpoint and the pitching, more focus can be put on it.”
Occasionally, while sifting through film and scouting reports for the best moments to run, McCullough himself misses things. The game’s opening pitch had set up the three-steal affair, as Ohtani took a walk and knew precisely what he needed to get a good jump on Oakland starter Mitch Spence. He reached first and safely swiped second base on the first pitch.
“His eye for things has been impressive,” McCullough said. And as Ohtani has worked on other details, like proper running form to get acceleration on his jumps, the steals have followed.
The ability was certain. The speed was increasing. And Ohtani keeps destroying records even in a year when he is not pitching.
“He’s trying to dominate on every margin,” Roberts said. “That’s what makes him great.”
(Top photo of Shohei Ohtani: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)
