Former MLB Pitcher Believes Shohei Ohtani Could Reach 50/50 Season in First Year With Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani has continued to impress baseball fans each season that he has been in the league. Sometimes, it seems unfair how good he is, but it’s all due to the hard work he has put in over the years.
Ohtani can really do it all at the plate. He hits for contact and power, has good plate discipline and has speed. His speed is an underrated part of his game, but he is great on the basepaths.
Last season, he finished with 20 steals, but did miss the last part of the season due to injury. This year, he won’t be pitching while he recovering from his torn UCL, so Ohtani will be putting his full focus on the offensive end of his game.
Many believe that his numbers will increase, but so may his steals. The Dodgers plan to be more aggressive on the basepaths this season, with Ohtani being one of their biggest weapons.
One former MLB pitcher believes that Ohtani could come close to having a 50/50 season. Brad Lidge appeared on MLB Network Radio and broke it all down.
“I would not be shocked at all this year if Ohtani approaches, honestly, I think he’s gonna approach 50/50. He’s gonna have the green light all the time to steal bags, I think he’s going to a lot and I would not be shocked at all if he’s pushing 45 home runs”
While Ohtani may not reach the 50/50 club, he might get close. He hit 44 home runs last season with the Angels in only 135 games, so he may reach the 50 mark in that category if he can stay healthy.
Through two games this year with Los Angeles, Ohtani already has one stolen base.
This will be something to watch for, especially given the new focus from the team on maximizing runners on base. If Ohtani can reach this milestone, it will be one of his biggest accomplishments and likely will push him close to winning another MVP award.
Photo Credit: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports
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