Shohei Ohtani was already in the conversation as the best baseball player of all time even before his jaw-dropping 2024 season began.
Now, the charter member of the 50-50 club has another chance to etch his name in the MLB history books on Sunday when he vies for the first Triple Crown in 12 years.
Ohtani leads the National League in home runs (54) and RBIs (130), but he would have pass San Diego Padres slugger Luis Arraez for the batting title during the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ regular-season finale.
Arraez is currently batting .314 and will also suit up for the Padres on Sunday in the leadoff position. Ohtani owns a .310 average and, notably, cannot win the batting title with less than three hits, regardless of how Arraez fares.
Improbable, sure. But not impossible — especially for Ohtani.
Andrew Simon from MLB.com outlined a few of the ways the reigning AL MVP can clinch the Triple Crown.
FOUR AT-BATS
Ohtani can clinch the Triple Crown if:
• He goes 3-for-4 and Arraez goes 0-for-4
• He goes 4-for-4 and Arraez has less than two hits.
FIVE AT-BATS
Ohtani can clinch the Triple Crown if:
• He goes 3-for-5 and Arraez goes 0-for 5
• He goes 4-for-5 and Arraez has less than two hits
• He goes 5-for-5 and Arraez has less than three hits.