Shohei Ohtani Joins 30-30 Club, Adding To MVP Résumé
On Saturday, Los Angeles Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani stole three bases – his 29th, 30th, and 31st of the season. Those stolen bases, coupled with his 33 home runs on the season, puts Ohtani into the vaunted “30/30 club.”
While membership into the 30/30 club (hitting at least 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in the same season) isn’t an automatic bid to be named the league MVP, it certainly does not hurt a player’s chances.
Let’s take a look at Ohtani’s current odds to win 2024 National League Most Valuable Player Award, alongside fellow contenders:
| NL MVP Odds | FanDuel | DraftKings | BetMGM | Caesars |
| Shohei Ohtani | -1450 | -1400 | -1400 | -1400 |
| Bryce Harper | +1200 | +1100 | +1000 | +850 |
| Ketel Marte | +1600 | +3000 | +1600 | +2500 |
| Francisco Lindor | +2400 | +1100 | +1800 | +1000 |
| Marcell Ozuna | +4000 | +3500 | +4000 | +4000 |
Ohtani, who has twice won American League MVP honors, is looking to do the same in his first season in the National League with the Dodgers. He won AL MVP with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023.
However, with his second swipe on Saturday, Ohtani placed himself into the 30/30 club for the first time of his career. His previous career high in stolen bases was 2021, when he logged 26 thefts.
Recent 30/30 Club Members
Atlanta Braves OF Ronald Acuña Jr. hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases in 2023, and he was crowned National League MVP. It was Acuña’s second time in the 30/30 club, as he had 31 homers and swiped 37 bags in 2019.
Three other hitters joined Acuña Jr. in the 30/30 club last season. Julio Rodriguez (32 HR and 37 SB), Francisco Lindor (31 HR and 31 SB), and Bobby Witt Jr. (30 HR and 49 SB) accomplished that feat with the Mariners, Mets, and Royals respectively in 2023.
No hitter joined the 30/30 club in 2022.
In 2021, only Orioles OF Cedric Mullins (who had exactly 30 HR and 30 SB) was able to do so. Acuña Jr. was joined by Milwaukee Brewers OF Christian Yelich in the 30/30 club in 2019, when Yelich swatted 44 homers and stole exactly 30 bases.
Other League MVPs Who Went 30/30
Mookie Betts, then with the Boston Red Sox, hit 32 home runs and stole exactly 30 bases in 2018. He was named MVP over Angels OF Mike Trout (39 HR and 24 SB) and fellow 30/30 club member Jose Ramirez (39 HR and 34 SB with the Cleveland Indians).
Other members of the 30/30 club who went on to win league MVP honors include:
- Ryan Braun (2011 National League MVP) with the Brewers: 33 HR and 33 SB
- Jimmy Rollins (2007 National League MVP) with the Phillies: 30 HR and 41 SB
- Larry Walker (1997 National League MVP) with the Rockies: 49 HR and 33 SB
- Barry Bonds (1992 National League MVP) with the Pirates: 34 HR and 39 SB
- Barry Bonds (1990 National League MVP) with the Pirates: 33 HR and 52 SB
- Jose Canseco (1988 American League MVP) with the A’s: 42 HR and 40 SB
- Dale Murphy (1983 National League MVP) with the Braves: 36 HR and 30 SB
Canseco’s 1988 American League MVP season saw the majors’ first-ever 40/40 campaign. He garnered all 28 first-place votes for AL MVP that year, winning 150 more voting points than runner-up MIke Greenwell of the Boston Red Sox.
Up next for Ohtani could be inclusion into the 40/40 club, which would put him in rarified air. Only Canseco (1988), Barry Bonds (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Alfonso Soriano (2006) and Acuña Jr. (2023) have accomplished the feat.
It is interesting to note that only Canseco took home MVP honors during his respective 40/40 season.
Will 30/30 Or 40/40 Season Be Enough For Ohtani To Win 2024 National League MVP?
Ohtani currently leads the National League in batting average (.306 as of Monday morning). He leads the senior circuit in home runs at 33–one ahead of Braves DH Marcell Ozuna. Ohtani trails only Ozuna in runs batted in. Ozuna has 86 RBI to Ohtani’s 79.
A Triple Crown season while joining the 40/40 club would most certainly assure Ohtani of being named 2024 National League MVP.
Ohtani’s chief competition for the award would be Ozuna–who is in the top-3 of all Triple Crown categories. It is conceivable there could be a Triple Crown winner up against a 40/40 hitter for a very close National League MVP race.
Ohtani is currently the odds-on favorite to be NL MVP, and that’s the way it should be. Only Ozuna is in a position to make a strong run against the Dodgers phenom.