40-40 club: 40 steals, 40 homers in a season

December 29th, 2023

Every big league manager would love the luxury of being able to pencil a 40-homer slugger and a 40-steal speed burner into their lineup.

But what if the slugger and the speed burner were the same guy? The Braves have the nightly privilege of inserting such a dynamo at the top of their lineup: Ronald Acuña Jr. On Sept. 22, he became the newest member of the 40-40 Club -- and the first in 17 years -- with a dinger against the Nationals.

This combination of power and speed is so rare that throughout AL/NL history, the club is home to only these five members.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves, 2023
Acuña had 68 stolen bases by the time he hit his 40th homer of the season, easily eclipsing Alex Rodriguez’s 46 steals in 1998 as the most in a 40-40 campaign. Acuña finished the '23 season with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. He nearly punched his ticket into this club as a 21-year-old in 2019, when he recorded 41 homers and 37 stolen bases.

Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006
After nearly joining the 40-40 club in 2002 with the Yankees (39 homers, American League-leading 41 steals), Soriano made his first season with the Nationals particularly memorable by swiping 41 bags and setting a career high with 46 home runs.

"That's very amazing for me, because there's a lot of players that can play this game. That's an amazing number," Soriano told MLB.com at the time. "I'm proud of myself that I did 40-40 this year."

Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1998
After showing a nice combination of power (59 combined home runs) and speed (44 combined steals) in his first two full big league seasons, A-Rod took it to another level in '98, going deep 42 times to reach the 40-homer mark for the first of eight times in his career and stealing 46 bases, which were 17 more than he had in any other season.

Barry Bonds, Giants, 1996
For more than a decade before he became Major League Baseball's single-season home run leader, Bonds was known as being one of the game's most complete players. Never was that more evident than in his 11th big league season, when the Giants superstar posted the second of his eight career 40-homer seasons (42 in '96) and reached the 40-steal mark (40 in '96) for the third and final time in his career.

Jose Canseco, A's, 1988
While there had been a couple close calls in the past -- Ken Williams had 39 homers and 37 steals as early as 1922, and Bonds' dad, Bobby, missed out by just one homer when he swiped 43 bases in '73 -- Canseco became the charter member of the 40-40 club on Sept. 23, 1988, when he swiped two bags to give him exactly 40 on the year while also hitting the 41st of his 42 homers that season.

30-30 CLUB

• Bobby Witt Jr., Royals, 2023, 30 homers, 49 steals Watch >

• Francisco Lindor, Mets, 2023, 31 homers, 31 steals Watch >

• Julio Rodríguez, Mariners, 2023, 32 homers, 37 steals Watch >

• Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves, 2023, 41 homers, 73 steals Watch >

• Cedric Mullins, Orioles, 2021, 30 homers, 30 steals Watch >

• Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves, 2019, 41 homers, 37 steals Watch >

• Christian Yelich, Brewers, 2019, 44 homers, 30 steals Watch >

• Jose Ramirez, Indians, 2018, 39 homers, 34 steals Watch >

• Mookie Betts, Red Sox, 2018, 32 homers, 30 steals Watch >

• Mike Trout, Angels, 2012, 30 homers, 49 steals Watch >

• Ryan Braun, Brewers, 2012, 41 homers, 30 steals Watch >

• Ian Kinsler, Rangers, 2011, 32 homers, 30 steals Watch >

• Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox, 2011, 32 homers, 39 steals Watch >

• Ryan Braun, Brewers, 2011, 33 homers, 33 steals Watch >

• Matt Kemp, Dodgers, 2011, 39 homers, 40 steals Watch >

• Ian Kinsler, Rangers, 2009, 31 homers, 31 steals

• Hanley Ramirez, Marlins, 2008, 33 homers, 35 steals

• Grady Sizemore, Indians, 2008, 33 homers, 38 steals

• Brandon Phillips, Reds, 2007, 30 homers, 32 steals

• Jimmy Rollins, Phillies, 2007, 30 homers, 41 steals

• David Wright, Mets, 2007, 30 homers, 34 steals

• Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006, 46 homers, 41 steals

• Alfonso Soriano, Rangers, 2005, 36 homers, 30 steals

• Bobby Abreu, Phillies, 2004, 30 homers, 40 steals

• Carlos Beltran, Royals/Astros, 2004, 38 homers, 42 steals

• Alfonso Soriano, Yankees, 2003, 38 homers, 35 steals

• Vladimir Guerrero, Expos, 2002, 39 homers, 40 steals

• Alfonso Soriano, Yankees, 2002, 39 homers, 41 steals

• Bobby Abreu, Phillies, 2001, 31 homers, 36 steals

• Jose Cruz Jr., Blue Jays, 2001, 34 homers, 32 steals

• Vladimir Guerrero, Expos, 2001, 34 homers, 37 steals

• Preston Wilson, Marlins, 2000, 31 homers, 36 steals

• Jeff Bagwell, Astros, 1999, 42 homers, 30 steals

• Raul Mondesi, Dodgers, 1999, 33 homers, 36 steals

• Shawn Green, Blue Jays, 1998, 35 homers, 35 steals

• Jeff Bagwell, Astros, 1997, 43 homers, 31 steals

• Barry Bonds, Giants, 1997, 40 homers, 37 steals

• Raul Mondesi, Dodgers, 1997, 30 homers, 32 steals

• Larry Walker, Rockies, 1997, 49 homers, 33 steals

• Dante Bichette, Rockies, 1996, 31 homers, 31 steals

• Ellis Burks, Rockies, 1996, 40 homers, 32 steals

• Barry Larkin, Reds, 1996, 33 homers, 36 steals

• Barry Bonds, Giants, 1995, 33 homers, 31 steals

• Sammy Sosa, Cubs, 1995, 36 homers, 34 steals Watch >

• Sammy Sosa, Cubs, 1993, 33 homers, 36 steals Watch >

• Barry Bonds, Pirates, 1992, 34 homers, 39 steals

• Ron Gant, Braves, 1991, 32 homers, 34 steals

• Howard Johnson, Mets, 1991, 38 homers, 30 steals

• Barry Bonds, Pirates, 1990, 33 homers, 52 steals

• Ron Gant, Braves, 1990, 32 homers, 33 steals

• Howard Johnson, Mets, 1989, 36 homers, 41 steals

• Joe Carter, Indians, 1987, 32 homers, 31 steals

• Eric Davis, Reds, 1987, 37 homers, 50 steals

• Howard Johnson, Mets, 1987, 36 homers, 32 steals

• Darryl Strawberry, Mets, 1987, 39 homers, 36 steals

• Dale Murphy, Braves, 1983, 36 homers, 30 steals

• Bobby Bonds, White Sox/Rangers, 1978, 31 homers, 43 steals

• Bobby Bonds, Angels, 1977, 37 homers, 41 steals

• Bobby Bonds, Yankees, 1975, 32 homers, 30 steals

• Bobby Bonds, Giants, 1973, 39 homers, 43 steals

• Tommy Harper, Brewers, 1970, 31 homers, 38 steals

• Bobby Bonds, Giants, 1969, 32 homers, 45 steals

• Hank Aaron, Braves, 1963, 44 homers, 31 steals

• Willie Mays, Giants, 1957, 35 homers, 38 steals

• Willie Mays, Giants, 1956, 36 homers, 40 steals

• Ken Williams, Browns, 1922, 39 homers, 37 steals