"I obviously enjoy Shohei Ohtani trying to chase that" - Mike Trout excited as former teammate progresses towards historic 50-50 season
Just like any baseball fan, Mike Trout is excited to see Shohei Ohtani chase down a historic season with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. Trout believes his former Los Angeles Angels teammate will eventually reach 50-50. However, he feels it will still be a challenging task; therefore, Ohtani cannot relent until he has accomplished the feat.
Last month, the Japanese superstar became the sixth player in MLB history to post a 40-40 campaign. He was also the fastest, needing just 126 games to reach the mark, besides being the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to accomplish it. Earlier this month, Ohtani became the first player to produce 45 home runs and 45 stolen bases in the MLB.
At present, Ohtani is a pair of home runs and a couple of stolen bases away from an unprecedented 50-50 season. Ohtani hit his 48th home run of the year in the second clash of the four-game series against the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park on Tuesday evening. He then leveled his tally in the stolen base column within the first inning of the next game the following night.
Meanwhile, Trout has been admiring Shohei Ohtani's extraordinary displays from afar. He offered his thoughts on his former teammate's chase for 50-50 through The Sporting Tribune's Dodgers beat reporter Fredo Cervantes.
"I think he's gonna get it," Trout said. "Just can't be pressing when he gets to 49, it's gonna be hard to do. I obviously enjoy him trying to chase that."
Trout and Ohtani played together for six seasons with the Angels and the pair hold five American League MVP awards between them. The Angels centerfielder is currently sidelined for the season after undergoing two surgeries for a torn left meniscus earlier this year.
Shohei Ohtani set for postseason debut
Even though the LA Angels had Ohtani and Trout on their roster, they did not reach the playoffs even once in their six years together as teammates. Now, Ohtani is gearing up to make his postseason debut in his first season with his new team.
The LA Dodgers are on the cusp of sealing their place in the playoffs and have a 3.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West standings. The club has the second-best record in the NL right now, which would still allow them to avoid the Wild Card round and move straight into the NLDS.