Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Joins Babe Ruth in Exclusive Group

Ohtani joined this group Sunday.

Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

With a 473-foot home run that nearly cleared Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani secured his 120th hit and 30th home run of the 2024 season Sunday, in his 97th game of the year.

Ohtani recorded the home run during the fifth inning of the Dodgers' 9-6 win over the Boston Red Sox.

These two marks make Ohtani just the second left-handed hitter in MLB history to reach 120 hits and 30 home runs within their first 100 games for a team, via Opta Stats.

SHOHEI JUST HIT A HOMER 473 FEET. pic.twitter.com/H8ceT0H0Yx

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 22, 2024

The only other left-handed hitter to achieve this in MLB history is Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest players of all time. Ruth reached 120 hits and 30 home runs in his first 94 games with the New York Yankees.

Shohei Ohtani has 120 hits and 30 home runs in his 97 games with the @Dodgers.

Ohtani is the first left-handed hitter to reach those marks within 100 career games for a team since Babe Ruth did so in his first 94 games as a Yankee in 1920. pic.twitter.com/uoiZn271OC

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 22, 2024

In total, Ohtani has compiled 120 hits, 78 runs, 30 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases while slashing .315/.401/.638 this season. He ranks fourth in batting average, runs, and hits, second in home runs and slug rate, fifth in on-base percentage, and sixth in RBIs.

With Ohtani ranking among the top six in MLB in nearly every category and leading the National League in home runs, he is a frontrunner for the NL MVP award. If he continues at his current pace, this would be the third time Ohtani has won an MVP award, and the second time he led his league in home runs.

This would be the first time Ohtani would win the MVP award as just a designated hitter, and not while pitching. No full-time DH has ever won an MVP award.

Even without pitching this season as he continues to rehabilitate a torn UCL in his right elbow, Ohtani has proven that impactful for the Dodgers as a hitter. He has continued to produce important plays and runs for the Dodgers, especially as the team has dealt with injuries to top teammates like Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

This is further demonstrated by Ohtani's 5.4 WAR, which ranks fifth in MLB, and first in the NL.