Expectations for a great season from Shohei Ohtani are nothing new. It is almost like a rite of Spring Training, at least for Los Angeles Dodgers fans, to expect the unexpected from the Japanese superstar. 

Yet is there an outside chance that Ohtani could post 50 home runs, while also winning 20 games as a starting pitcher?

That would be quite the feat to accomplish. While that whets a Dodgers' fan's appetite, the reality of it all is that it would be hard for Ohtani to do this.

Is it impossible? That word seems to not be in Ohtani's vocabulary. It seems like Ohtani is doing the impossible all the time. 

Recently, ESPN MLB reporter David Schoenfield put out one of his "Real or Not" articles for ESPN.com and its MLB section. In it, Schoenfield addresses the possibility of Ohtani accomplishing this 50/20 feat.

"His record 50/50 season in 2024 has an argument as the greatest single-season statistical achievement," Schoenfield wrote. "To put it in perspective: Of the 53 other times a player hit at least 50 home runs, the second-highest stolen base total is just 24.

"Now that Ohtani's ready to pitch a full season again, how about winning 20 games to go with what would be a third straight 50-homer season," Schoenfield continued. "Now that would be the greatest season ever."

Schoenfield also intimated that a few people in Dodgers World expect Ohtani to have a whale of a season. In fact, a few people believe that Ohtani might be on a big-time mission to have a stellar season on the mound and at the plate.

"He seems like he's on a mission, pitching-wise," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "Whenever we've seen him on a mission, good things happen."

"He can go out there and win a Cy Young this year," catcher Will Smith said. "I have no doubt about that."  

Before hitching your Dodgers wagon to Ohtani posting insane numbers, Schoenfield also looks at some realities. It's probably not going to be viable for Ohtani to make a start every fifth or sixth day. Potentially, Ohtani could start one game per week.

When Schoenfield breaks that down into bite-sized pieces, that amounts to potentially just 26 starts in an MLB season. He estimates that out of 26 weeks being a length of a regular MLB season.

But, as Schoenfield also points out, this has been done before. Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw won 21 games back in 2014 on just 27 starts that season. Former MLB pitcher Pedro Martinez, in 29 starts back in 1999, won 22 games and also picked up a victory in a relief appearance.

It's possible that Ohtani can turn the feat. 

Schoenfield, though, reaches his assessment that it's just not a reality for Ohtani to get there. 

"The problem with the Kershaw and Martinez examples is that they averaged more innings pitched per game than Ohtani will average, which leads to more decisions," Schoenfield wrote.

"The Dodgers are still going to be careful with him and will want him ready for October, so 26 starts feel like the absolute max he'll make," he continued. "Cy Young? Perhaps. Twenty wins? Probably not."

With this assessment in hand, Dodgers fans probably will not be surprised if Ohtani just accomplishes a 50-homer, 20-win season and shocks the baseball world yet again.

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