As the regular season winds down, two major statistical accomplishments have captured the attention of the baseball world:
- Shohei Ohtani has become the first player to reach the 50-homer/50-steal mark.
- Aaron Judge has been flirting with a second 60-homer season, two years after he set an AL record with 62.
But there are other notable statistical milestones up for grabs this September. Below, MLB.com is providing daily updates on some other chases.
CHASES IN PROGRESS
A PITCHING TRIPLE CROWN ... OR TWO
The players: Tarik Skubal (Tigers) and Chris Sale (Braves)
The feat: AL and NL pitching Triple Crowns
Their chances: Skubal leads the AL in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228, five ahead of Cole Ragans). Sale leads the NL in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225, four ahead of Dylan Cease).
Why it's significant: No pitcher has won a Triple Crown in a full season since Justin Verlander (AL) and Clayton Kershaw (NL) both did so in 2011. The last pitcher to lead all of MLB in all three categories was Johan Santana in 2006. (Shane Bieber also accomplished both feats in 2020, but that was during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.)
A DOUBLE-TRIPLE
The player: Jarren Duran (Red Sox)
The feat: Leading the Majors in doubles and triples
His chances: Duran's 48 doubles lead the Majors, with Bobby Witt Jr. three behind him. Duran's 14 triples have him in a tie with the D-backs' Corbin Carroll for the Major League lead. Witt is third with 11.
Why it's significant: The last player to lead MLB in both categories was the Cardinals' Lou Brock in 1968. Meanwhile, if Duran can reach 50 doubles and 15 triples, he'd be the first to pull off that combo since the Cardinals' Stan Musial in 1946.
MORE BIG NUMBERS FOR JUDGE
The player: Aaron Judge (Yankees)
The feats: 400 total bases and/or a .700 SLG
His chances: Judge currently has 392 total bases and a .708 SLG. Judge is on pace for 400 total bases if he plays in the rest of the Yankees' games.
Why it's significant: No hitter has collected 400 total bases in a season since four players (Barry Bonds, Luis Gonzalez, Todd Helton and Sammy Sosa) all did so in 2001. Outside of the 1997-2001 window, it hasn't happened since 1978 (Jim Rice). Ohtani, meanwhile, has an even better chance of reaching 400 total bases, sitting at 398 total bases and on pace for 406. Meanwhile, only 17 hitters in AL/NL history have managed a .700 SLG, none since Bonds did it four years in a row from 2001-04.
A MICROSCOPIC ERA
The player: Emmanuel Clase (Guardians)
The feat: An ERA of 0.75 or lower
His chances: The Cleveland closer owns a 0.61 ERA through 73 appearances and 73 1/3 innings.
Why it's significant: Only five pitchers have ever posted an ERA that low in a season of at least 50 innings. While Zack Britton's 2016 record of 0.54 is out of reach, Clase would pass Dennis Eckersley (0.61 in 1990) and Fernando Rodney (0.60 in 2012) for second if he pitches at least two more innings and doesn't allow another earned run this season.
RUNNING WILD
The player: Elly De La Cruz (Reds)
The feat: 75 stolen bases in a season
His chances: De La Cruz's 65 steals lead MLB by a wide margin. He has slowed down, however, and is on pace for 67 stolen bases.
Why it's significant: The last players with at least 75 steals were José Reyes in 2007 (78) and Kenny Lofton in 1996 (75). De La Cruz (25 home runs) also could notch just the third 25-75 season after Rickey Henderson and Eric Davis both did it in 1986.
LOSS LEADERS
The team: Chicago White Sox
The feat: 121 losses in a season
Their chances: At 39-120, Chicago would have to go 3-0 the rest of the way to avoid this fate.
Why it's significant: With their loss to the Padres on Sunday, the Padres tied the 1962 Mets, an expansion team, for the record for single-season losses in the Modern Era (since 1900), with 120.
COMPLETED CHASES
MORE HISTORY FOR OHTANI
The player: Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)
The feat: First player to hit at least 50 home runs and steal at least 50 bases in the same season
Ohtani continues to somehow outdo himself when it comes to wowing the baseball world. He had a record-setting day on Sept. 19, when he went 6-for-6 with three home runs (his 49th, 50th and 51st of the season), two steals (his 50th and 51st of the season), two doubles and a career-high 10 RBIs. Not only did he become the first member of the 50-homer/50-steal club, but he also set a Dodgers single-season franchise record by surpassing Shawn Green's 49 homers from 2001.
A FRANCHISE HR RECORD
The player: Manny Machado (Padres)
The feat: Most career home runs in Padres history
Machado, who tied Nate Colbert with his 162nd and 163rd Padres home runs on Sept. 6, took the lead outright Sept. 10 with his 164th off the Mariners' George Kirby. The 32-year-old joins Mike Trout (Angels) and Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins) as the only active players with a franchise home run lead.
LEADOFF LONG BALLS
The player: Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
The feat: Most leadoff home runs in a season
Schwarber set the new single-season record with his 14th leadoff home run on Sept. 10 against the Rays, leaving himself room to extend his lead even further before the end of the year. Schwarber's big season is also pushing him up the career list, where he is now tied for eighth (46).