One of the biggest reasons Shohei Ohtani shattered the long-held belief that “a designated hitter cannot win MVP” in 2024 was not just his 54 home runs.

It was also the fact that he stole 59 bases and became the first player in Major League Baseball history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Ohtani had already been known as a reasonably fast player during his years with the Angels.

Still, his previous career-high in stolen bases was only 26.

No one expected him to more than double that total.

Even more astonishing was his efficiency: only four failed attempts all season.

So what changed?

According to Ohtani, his raw sprint speed had not changed very much.

He experimented with different techniques for getting good jumps on pitchers, but the biggest improvement came elsewhere.

His ability to dive back safely to first base improved dramatically.

That improvement allowed him to take much larger leads.

And larger leads created more opportunities to steal.

If a runner fears getting picked off at first base, the lead naturally becomes smaller, which also reduces confidence in attempting a steal.

To improve his return-to-base technique, Ohtani focused on “technique, prediction, reaction, and study.”

By developing those areas, he became confident that even with an aggressive lead, he could still return safely if necessary.

That confidence completely changed his baserunning.

The key insight was simple but profound:

to steal bases successfully, you first need confidence in getting back safely.

Through preparation, study, and repeated refinement, Ohtani transformed himself into one of the most efficient base stealers in baseball.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

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