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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Could Break Babe Ruth Record

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nelson Hubbell | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 12:20 PM ET

Shohei Ohtani has been nothing short of amazing since joining the MLB, particularly during his time as a Los Angeles Dodger. Although he is just now making a return to pitching, the superstar two-way player is on pace to make history as a hitter.

According to ESPN's Bradford Doolittle , Ohtani has a real chance to break Babe Ruth's record of total runs scored in a season, and is already on pace to make major history.

"Ohtani is on pace to score 160 runs," Doolittle wrote. "That just doesn't happen. The modern record is Ruth's 177 from 1921. Ruth and Lou Gehrig both topped 160 runs twice -- and that's it. No one else has gotten there."

Although Ohtani is not on pace to break the record at the moment, he still has a shot if he stays healthy.

Even if the Dodgers superstar fails to reach 160 runs, Doolittle says that Ted Williams (who had 150 in 1949) and Jeff Bagwell (who had 152 in 2000) are the only players since World War II to reach 150 runs in a season.

This comes after Ohtani's monster 2024 season, where he hit 50 homers and stole 50 bases. All while, of course, pitching at a high level along the way.

The Dodgers are slowly working Ohtani back into regular outings on the mound, which means Los Angeles should be getting even more dangerous entering the second half of the season.

It is essential not to underestimate the incredible nature of his accomplishments. The world is watching history every time Shohei Ohtani sets foot on the field.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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