20–50 club

Rickey Henderson reached the 20–50 levels a record four times in his career.

In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 20–50 club is a group of players who exhibit a combination of power and speed with 20 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season.[1][2] The feat has been accomplished 23 times by 15 players.[3] Five of the players have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame: Craig Biggio, Lou Brock, Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan and Ryne Sandberg.[4]

Brock became the first player in MLB history with 20 home runs and 50 steals in the same season, hitting 21 home runs and stealing 52 bases with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967.[5] Henderson reached those levels a record four times;[6] he became the first American League player to join the club in 1985, when he was a member of the New York Yankees.[7] He and Eric Davis are the only players to have 20+ home runs and 80+ steals in the same season.[8] César Cedeño is the only player to have three consecutive seasons (1972–1974) with 20+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases.[6][9] In 2023, Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks became the first rookie in MLB history with a 20–50 season.[10]

The most recent players to join the club were Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024. Ohtani was the first player to homer 50 times with 50 steals in the same season.[3] De La Cruz was the third Reds player to enter the 20–50 club, joining Morgan and Davis.[11] The three also reached 20+ homers and 60+ steals, joining a group that also includes Henderson and Ronald Acuña Jr.[12] Acuña, who was the first player to ever reach 20–50 before August 1,[13] became the first to hit 40 homers and steal 70 bases in a single season in 2023.[14]

Members

Lou Brock was the first player to reach 20–50 in 1967.
Joe Morgan reached the mark three times, including 20–60 twice.
César Cedeño achieved 20–50 in a record three consecutive seasons.
Shohei Ohtani became the first player with a 50–50 season in 2024.
Key
Year The year the player's 20–50 season occurred
Player Name of the player
Team The player's team for his 20–50 season
HR Number of home runs in that year
SB Number of stolen bases in that year
† Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame
‡ Player is active
Members of the 20–50 club
Year Player Team HR SB Ref
1967 Lou Brock† St. Louis Cardinals 21 52 [1]
1972 César Cedeño Houston Astros 22 55
1973 Joe Morgan† Cincinnati Reds 26 67
César Cedeño Houston Astros 25 56
1974 César Cedeño Houston Astros 26 57
Joe Morgan† Cincinnati Reds 22 58
1976 Joe Morgan† Cincinnati Reds 27 60
1985 Ryne Sandberg† Chicago Cubs 26 54
Rickey Henderson† New York Yankees 24 80
1986 Rickey Henderson† New York Yankees 28 87
Eric Davis Cincinnati Reds 27 80
1987 Eric Davis Cincinnati Reds 37 50
1990 Barry Bonds Pittsburgh Pirates 33 52
Rickey Henderson† Oakland A's 28 65
1992 Brady Anderson Baltimore Orioles 21 53
1993 Rickey Henderson† Oakland A's / Toronto Blue Jays 21 53
1998 Craig Biggio† Houston Astros 20 50
2007 Hanley Ramirez Florida Marlins 29 51
Eric Byrnes Arizona Diamondbacks 21 50
2023 Ronald Acuña Jr.‡ Atlanta Braves 41 73
Corbin Carroll‡ Arizona Diamondbacks 23 54
2024 Shohei Ohtani‡ Los Angeles Dodgers 54 59 [15]
Elly De La Cruz‡ Cincinnati Reds 25 67 [16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Wittenmyer, Gordon (August 7, 2024). "Fast company: Look who's in the elite club Cincinnati Reds SS Elly De La Cruz just joined". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 29, 2024 – via AOL.
  2. ^ Liebman, Ron. "Mays and Bonds Top Power – Speed List". 1974 Baseball Research Journal. Retrieved December 29, 2024 – via SABR.org.
  3. ^ a b Simon, Andrew (September 30, 2024). "The best power-speed combo seasons ever". MLB.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Wittenmyer, Gordon (August 6, 2024). "Here's the story behind how Elly De La Cruz is making Reds history after win over Marlins". Cincinnati Enquirer – via AOL.
  5. ^ "Hall of Famer Lou Brock, Cardinals base-stealing icon, dies at 81". ESPN. September 6, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b DiFonzo, John. "César Cedeño". Society For American Baseball Research. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "Rickey Henderson Career Notes". ESPN. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  8. ^ Muder, Craig. "#CARDCORNER: 1987 TOPPS ERIC DAVIS". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  9. ^ Peters, Greg (July 1, 2020). "Former MLB star Cedeno passing knowledge on to new generation of players". TimesNews. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Blanco, Bobby (November 14, 2023). "Explaining my NL Rookie of the Year Award ballot". MASN. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "Reds overcome Sánchez's 480-foot homer to beat Marlins 10-3". Spectrum News. Associated Press. August 6, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  12. ^ "Reds' Elly De La Cruz becomes fifth player to reach 20 HRs, 60 SB in a season". Sportsnet. August 21, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  13. ^ Bowman, Mark (July 30, 2023). "50 steals, 24 HRs: Acuña eyes possible 40-40 season". MLB.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  14. ^ Rosecrans, C. Trent (August 9, 2024). "The Reds fan's guide to watching the final two months of the season". The Athletic. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  15. ^ "Shohei Ohtani". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  16. ^ "Elly De La Cruz". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 29, 2024.