Shohei Ohtani's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Shohei Ohtani.

Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing as both a designated hitter and pitcher. He previously played for the Los Angeles Angels and the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Ohtani is renowned as a rare two-way player, excelling as both a hitter and pitcher, leading to comparisons to Babe Ruth and recognition for some of the greatest seasons in baseball history.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1906: Frank Isbell's Record

In 1906, Frank Isbell recorded extra-base hits in an World Series game, a record that Ohtani later tied.

1913: Earned runs were official

Earned runs became official in 1913.

1918: Babe Ruth Recorded Double Digits

In 1918, Babe Ruth won 13 games and hit 11 home runs for the Boston Red Sox during the Major League Baseball season, marking the last instance of a player recording at least 10 wins as a pitcher and at least 10 home runs as a batter in the same season until Ohtani replicated the feat.

1920: RBI becomes an official statistic

In 1920, RBI became an official statistic in MLB.

1922: Max Carey's Record

In 1922, Max Carey recorded times reaching base in a game, a record that Ohtani later tied.

1930: Babe Ruth's Record in 1930

In 1930, Babe Ruth set the AL/NL record for walks in a 4-game span, which Ohtani later tied in 2021.

1932: Johnny Burnett's Record

In 1932, Johnny Burnett recorded times reaching base in a game, a record that Ohtani later tied.

1942: Stan Hack's Record

In 1942, Stan Hack recorded times reaching base in a game, a record that Ohtani later tied.

1951: Gil Hodges' Home Run Record

In 1951 and 1954, Gil Hodges recorded 2 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

1953: Duke Snider's Home Run Record

From 1953 to 1957, Duke Snider recorded 5 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

1954: Gil Hodges' Home Run Record

In 1951 and 1954, Gil Hodges recorded 2 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

1957: Duke Snider's Home Run Record

From 1953 to 1957, Duke Snider recorded 5 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

April 26, 1970: Luis Tiant's performance

On April 26, 1970, Luis Tiant threw a scoreless top half and recorded a hit, a RBI, a stolen base and a scored run while playing in an AL ballpark, just like Ohtani in 2021.

1973: Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award's inception

In 1973 was the year of Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award's inception.

1975: Joe Morgan's MVP and World Series win

From 1975 to 1976, Joe Morgan was the only player who have won an MVP Award and the World Series in back-to-back seasons before Ohtani.

1982: Reggie Jackson's home run record

In 1982, Reggie Jackson made a record with 39 home runs, making Ohtani break the record in 2021 with 40 home runs.

1998: Jose Canseco record

In 1998, Jose Canseco set a home run record, before Ohtani beat the record.

1999: Ken Griffey Jr. reached milestones before September

Before Ohtani, in 1999, Ken Griffey Jr. reached both of the home run and stolen base totals before the month of September.

2000: Troy Glaus' record

In 2000, Troy Glaus made a record of 47 home runs, making Ohtani finish behind him with 46 in 2021.

2001: Barry Bonds' MVP streak

From 2001 to 2004, Barry Bonds was the only player to win MVP in at least three consecutive seasons before Ohtani.

2001: Shawn Green's Home Run Record

In 2001 and 2002, Shawn Green recorded 2 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

2002: Shawn Green's Home Run Record

In 2001 and 2002, Shawn Green recorded 2 seasons with at least 40 home runs.

2004: Hideki Matsui's Home Run Record

In 2004, Hideki Matsui set the record for the most home runs hit during a season by a Japanese-born player in MLB, before Ohtani surpassed it in 2021.

2004: Johan Santana's pitching span

In 2004, Johan Santana had a six-game pitching span, where he went 6–0 with 58+ SO and 2-or-fewer ER.

2006: Alfonso Soriano's Record

In 2006, Alfonso Soriano set a record that was later broken by Ohtani.

2006: Tadahito Iguchi's seven-RBI game

In 2006, Tadahito Iguchi had a seven-RBI game.

August 21, 2007: Garret Anderson's 10-RBI game

On August 21, 2007, Garret Anderson had a franchise-record 10 RBIs against the New York Yankees.

2007: Alex Rodriguez reached milestones before September

Before Ohtani, in 2007, Alex Rodriguez reached both of the home run and stolen base totals before the month of September.

2009: Matsui's seven-RBI game

In 2009, Matsui had a seven-RBI game.

2010: Sato's Pitching Record

In 2010, Yoshinori Sato set the previous record for the fastest official pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher at 100 mph, which was later broken by Shohei Ohtani in July 2014.

2011: Curtis Granderson reached milestones before September

Before Ohtani, in 2011, Curtis Granderson reached both of the home run and stolen base totals before the month of September.

2011: Jered Weaver's low ERA

Jered Weaver had the lowest ERA in 2011, prior to Ohtani getting a lower ERA in 2021.

September 2012: Last Back-to-Back Player of the Month Award Winner

Before Ohtani won two American League Player of the Month Awards in a row, Chase Headley was the last player to do it in August and September of 2012.

2012: R.A. Dickey's pitching span

In 2012, R.A. Dickey had a six-game pitching span, where he went 6–0 with 58+ SO and 2-or-fewer ER.

2012: Threw 99 mph Fastball

In 2012, as an 18-year-old high school pitcher, Shohei Ohtani threw a 99 mph fastball, which set a Japanese high school baseball record at the time.

July 2014: Fastest Pitch Thrown by a Japanese Pitcher

During the July 2014 All-Star Game, Shohei Ohtani threw a 101 mph fastball, setting a new record for the fastest official pitch thrown by a Japanese pitcher.

2014: Garrett Richards K's in the first half

Garrett Richards recorded 110 K's in the first half of 2014.

2014: Clayton Kershaw's pitching span

In 2014, Clayton Kershaw had a six-game pitching span, where he went 6–0 with 58+ SO and 2-or-fewer ER.

2015: Giancarlo Stanton's Postseason Home Runs

In 2015, Giancarlo Stanton achieved the feat of hitting two 113-mile-per-hour home runs in a postseason game, an achievement that Shohei Ohtani later matched.

2015: WBSC Premier12 Tournament

In 2015, Ohtani earned a bronze medal with Team Japan in the inaugural WBSC Premier12 tournament. He was the ace of Japan's pitching staff, made two pitching appearances against South Korea, winning Game 1 of the opening round and getting a no-decision in the semifinals. Ohtani was named to the Premier12 All-World Team and was named the 2015 World Baseball Softball Confederation Baseball Player of the Year.

2015: Dominant Performance in Premier 12

In 2015, Shohei Ohtani was dominant for the Japanese national team in the Premier 12, named the All-Star SP for the event.

2015: All-Star and Best Nine Awards

In 2015, Shohei Ohtani's performance on the mound was among the best in the league, earning him the starter role in the 2015 All-Star Game and the pitching spot in the end-of-year Pacific League Best Nine awards.

2015: Third in MVP Voting

Shohei Ohtani finished third in MVP voting, behind Yanagita and Shogo Akiyama for the 2015 Pacific League MVP and was also a candidate for the 2015 Sawamura Award.

2016: Bryce Harper's Record in 2016

In 2016, Bryce Harper set the MLB record for walks drawn in a three-game span, which Ohtani tied.

2016: Dominant Pitcher and Hitter, League MVP

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani hit 22 home runs and also had a career-low ERA of 1.86, winning the Best Nine award as both a designated hitter and a pitcher. He was named the Pacific League MVP.

2016: Led Nippon Ham to Japan Series

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani led Nippon Ham to the 2016 Japan Series where they won their second Japan Series title.

2016: Best Nine Award and Pacific League MVP

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani made the Best Nine as both top pitcher and top DH in the Pacific League, becoming the first player to achieve this dual recognition. He also won the 2016 Pacific League Most Valuable Player Award by a landslide, receiving 253 out of 254 first-place votes.

2016: Won the Japan Series with Fighters

In 2016, Shohei Ohtani won the Japan Series with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.

July 7, 2018: MLB Record

On July 7, 2018, before Ohtani, an MLB player reached 10 or more RBI in a single game.

2018: Fastball Record Surpassed

In 2018, Rōki Sasaki surpassed Shohei Ohtani's 2012 record for the fastest fastball by a Japanese high school pitcher.

2018: Disappointing Spring Training and Media Admission

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani had a disastrous MLB spring training, leading to widespread disappointment in the American media. However, by the end of his impressive 2018 regular season, the media admitted they had written him off too early.

2018: AL Rookie of the Year Award

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels and soon after won the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award.

2018: Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia

In 2018, Shohei Ohtani was listed in Forbes 30 under 30 Asia class in the field of Entertainment & Sports.

2018: Trout's intentional walks

In 2018, Trout had the most intentional walks before Ohtani passed his record.

2021: All-Star Selection and Home Run Record

In 2021, Ohtani hit his 32nd home run of the year, surpassing Hideki Matsui's 2004 record for the most home runs hit during a season by a Japanese-born player in MLB. He became the first player to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher and participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby.

2021: First AL MVP Award

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani hit 46 home runs and struck out 156 batters, leading to him winning his first American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award (MVP).

2021: Time 100 and Commissioner's Award

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was named to Time 100's list of most influential people and awarded the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award by Commissioner Rob Manfred.

2021: Awards and Accolades for Ohtani in 2021

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player, becoming the 23rd pitcher and first designated hitter to win the award. He was named to the All-MLB Team as both a designated hitter and starting pitcher, won the Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, and received the Silver Slugger Award. He was also named to Time 100's list of most influential people, Associated Press Athlete of the Year, Sporting News Athlete of the Year, and Baseball America Major League Player of the Year, among other honors.

2021: Recognition and Awards for 2021 Season

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani's season was recognized with two Guinness World Records, one for being the first MLB player to achieve 100+ innings and 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher, and 100+ RBIs, hits, and runs as a batter in a single season. The second Guinness record was for being the first player to start the MLB All-Star Game as a pitcher and designated hitter. He also received the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award for his historically significant and unprecedented 2021 season. Later that year, his 2021 season was ranked No. 1 by The Sporting News as "The 50 greatest seasons in sports history".

2021: Ohtani's Single-Season High in Strikeouts

In 2021, Shohei Ohtani's single-season high in strikeouts was 156.

2021: Ohtani ties Babe Ruth's record

In September of 2021, Ohtani tied Babe Ruth's AL/NL record of walks in a 4 game span.

July 6, 2022: Ohtani makes MLB history against Miami Marlins

On July 6, 2022, Shohei Ohtani made MLB history against the Miami Marlins by becoming the first player since RBI became an official statistic in 1920 to record 10 strikeouts as a pitcher, two RBIs as a batter, and a stolen base all in a single game.

August 9, 2022: Historical Feats Against Oakland Athletics

On August 9, 2022, Shohei Ohtani completed three historical feats in a game against the Oakland Athletics: he joined Babe Ruth in an exclusive 10-homer, 10-win club; moved up on the all-time home run list for Japanese-born players; and set a single-season career high in strikeouts. He tossed six scoreless innings to earn his 10th win of the season for the first time in his Major League career.

2022: Qualified for Hitting and Pitching Leaderboards

In 2022, Shohei Ohtani became the first player in the modern era to qualify for both the hitting and pitching leaderboards in one season, finishing third in the AL with 219 strikeouts as a pitcher.

2022: Ohtani Makes MLB History with RBI and Strikeout Feats in June 2022

In June 2022, Shohei Ohtani made MLB history by becoming the first player in the American League or National League to have at least eight RBIs in a game and strike out at least 10 batters the next day. On June 21, Ohtani hit a pair of three-run homers and set a career-high with eight RBIs, becoming the first player born in Japan to have eight RBIs in a game.

June 15, 2023: Ohtani Named AL Player of the Week

Shohei Ohtani was named AL Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career after hitting six home runs and achieving a 1.893 OPS over seven games from June 12 to 18, 2023, and picking up a win as starting pitcher on June 15, 2023, against the Texas Rangers.

July 2, 2023: Ohtani Wins Sixth AL Player of the Week Award in July 2023

Shohei Ohtani won his sixth career AL Player of the Week award, surpassing Suzuki for the most by a Japanese-born player, after hitting six home runs with a 1.783 OPS over a seven-day span from June 26 to July 2, 2023. His performance in June was considered to be the best June in MLB history.

December 11, 2023: Ohtani Signs Historic Contract with the Dodgers

On December 11, 2023, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, marking the largest contract in professional sports history at the time.

2023: All-WBC Team Selection

Following Japan's win in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ohtani became the first player to be named to the All-WBC team at two separate positions, as both a designated hitter (DH) and a pitcher.

2023: 2023 World Baseball Classic

In 2023, Ohtani played for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic and was named the Pool B MVP. He earned the save in the championship game, striking out Mike Trout to clinch Japan's WBC championship. Ohtani won the tournament's MVP award after batting .435/.606/.739 and posting a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts.

2023: Ohtani's 2023 Regular Season Achievements

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani ended the regular season as the first Japanese-born player to lead a U.S. major league in home runs, capturing the American League title with 44 home runs.

2023: World Baseball Classic Championship

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani led Team Japan to their third championship at the World Baseball Classic and was named the tournament's MVP. The final game against the United States culminated in Ohtani striking out his Angels teammate, Mike Trout, securing a 3–2 victory.

2023: Ohtani Wins MVP and Other Awards in 2023

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani was unanimously voted the American League Most Valuable Player for the second time, becoming the first player in MLB history to win MVP by unanimous vote twice. He won his third straight Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award and his first career AL Hank Aaron Award.

2023: Second Unanimous AL MVP

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani won his second unanimous American League (AL) MVP award, leading the AL with 44 home runs while also recording 10 wins as a pitcher, becoming the first player to win multiple unanimous MVPs and the first Japanese-born player to win a league home run title.

2023: Ohtani Passes Babe Ruth on Strikeout List in 2023

In 2023, after being named MVP of the World Baseball Classic, Shohei Ohtani made his second straight Opening Day start for the Angels. On May 10, 2023, he struck out Jeremy Peña of the Astros for his 502nd career pitching strikeout, passing Babe Ruth on the all-time strikeout list.

2023: Ohtani Earns All-Star Roster Spot in 2023

Shohei Ohtani earned an automatic spot on the 2023 All-Star roster as a DH after being the leading vote-getter in the American League All-Star ballot and was also elected as an All-Star pitcher, marking his third straight year as an All-Star as both a pitcher and DH.

2024: Signed with the Dodgers and named NL MVP

After the 2023 season, Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2024, unable to pitch due to an elbow injury, Ohtani played only as a DH and was named the National League (NL) MVP after recording 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, also winning the 2024 World Series.

2024: National League MVP Award

After the 2024 season, Ohtani, with his 50–50 performance, won the National League Most Valuable Player award unanimously. It was his third career unanimous MVP award, second consecutive unanimous MVP award, and his first in the National League. With this distinction, he became the first and only player in Major League Baseball history to win three MVP awards unanimously, two consecutive unanimous MVP awards, and unanimous MVP awards in both the American and National leagues. Additionally, he became the second player after Frank Robinson to win MVP awards in both leagues. On December 23, Ohtani won his third AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for the second-most wins in history.

2024: Ohtani's Dodgers Debut

In 2024, Shohei Ohtani debuted with the Dodgers as the designated hitter on March 20 in Seoul against the San Diego Padres as part of the MLB Seoul Series. He also achieved significant milestones, including hitting his first home run as a Dodger on April 3 against the San Francisco Giants, matching the anniversary of his first Major League home run, and surpassing Hideki Matsui on April 21 for the most home runs by a Japanese player in MLB history. In the All-Star Game, he hit a three-run home run, marking a unique achievement as the first and only All-Star player with a win on the mound and a home run at the plate. He also hit his 200th career home run on July 13th

February 2025: Mizuhara Sentenced in Fraud Case

In February 2025, Ippei Mizuhara was sentenced to repay Shohei Ohtani $17 million and received a 57-month prison sentence following his guilty plea. Ohtani was officially cleared of any wrongdoing in the affair.

May 2025: Tying Dodgers Record

In May 2025, Shohei Ohtani tied the Dodgers record for home runs in a month with 15. In that same game against the Yankees, Ohtani and Aaron Judge became the first reigning MVPs ever to each hit a home run in the first inning of the same game. Ohtani was named the NL Player of the Month in May 2025, after slashing .309/.398/.782, with 15 home runs on the month.

2025: Postseason Performance and NLCS MVP

In 2025, Shohei Ohtani had a stellar postseason, including hitting two home runs in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds. He made his first career postseason start in the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, earning the win. In Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, Ohtani struck out 10 batters and hit three home runs, becoming the first pitcher in history to do so, leading to him being named the 2025 NLCS MVP.

2025: Franchise Record and NL MVP

In 2025, Shohei Ohtani returned to pitching and set a Dodgers franchise record with 55 home runs in a season, winning his second consecutive National League (NL) MVP unanimously and becoming the only player to win multiple MVP awards in each league and won the 2025 World Series.

2025: 2025 Season Performance

In the 2025 season, Ohtani batted .282 with 55 home runs, 102 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. He led the National League in runs scored, total bases, extra-base hits, and OPS. He set a record by being the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs, draw 100 walks, and steal 20 bases in one season. As a pitcher, he had a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings.

2026: 2026 World Baseball Classic

In 2026, Ohtani played for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic as the designated hitter. In the opening game against Chinese Taipei, he set a record for the most RBIs (5) in a single inning in WBC history. His performance helped Japan secure an undefeated record in Pool C and advance to the quarterfinals.