Shohei Ohtani may be having one of his greatest seasons yet. Ohtani was born in Ōshū, Japan in 1994, and has now moved across the Pacific to Los Angeles, to play for the Dodgers. Ohtani started playing baseball at an early age, and by the time he was 17, he could pitch at a speed of 99 mph. His skill at such a young age led to him being labeled as one of the most exciting Japanese prospects in decades. Since joining the Dodgers in 2023, and signing the largest sports contract in history worth a whopping $700 million, Ohtani’s performance has been nothing short of spectacular. He has consistently made headlines for various things, including his batting average of .290, his earned run average (ERA) of 2.65, and his strikeouts of 200+. However, on Sunday, September 22, Shohei Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to join the “50/50 club” in a single season. In baseball, the “50/50 club” refers to players who manage to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season. Ohtani’s entry into this exclusive group both highlights his immense talent, and also puts him among numerous legends of the game. The last player to accomplish this was Barry Bonds, all the way back in 1996. Considering Ohtani is a two-way player, as a designated hitter and a pitcher, it makes his accomplishment that much more impressive.
Shohei Ohtani First to Go 50/50 in a Single Season
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About the Contributor
Torrey Busby, Staff Writer
Torrey Busby is a sophomore at La Jolla High School and is now in her second year of journalism. She enjoys writing stories and is interested in going into investigative journalism as a possible future career. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, true crime podcasts, and reading murder mysteries. She is happy to be back writing articles for the school’s Hi-Tide to further improve her writing and social skills and to continue the many opportunities that come with being on Hi-Tide. She hopes to get good grades from the class and is also looking forward to being in the class with her sister, Aiko Busby, for another year in a row.