Shohei Ohtani tops MLB jersey sales for 2nd straight season

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani smiles after reaching first base on a single off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Seth Halvorsen in the eighth inning of an MLB game Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani topped Major League Baseball jersey sales for the second straight season while becoming the first player to reach 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in the same year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers star was followed by Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, said Major League Baseball and the players’ association subsidiary MLB Players Inc., on Monday.

The top four was unchanged from the list announced at the All-Star break. Ohtani was seventh in 2022, when Betts topped the list.

READ: Shohei Ohtani falls short of Triple Crown in Dodgers’ season finale

Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets moved up two spots to fifth, dropping injured Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Yankees’ Juan Soto one place each.

Houston’s Jose Altuve moved up two spots to eighth, and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. fell to ninth. Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals moved up one to 10th.

Texas’ Corey Seager dropped two spots to 11th and Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero moved up two to 12th. Philadelphia’s Trea Turner remained 13th, Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz moved up one to 14th and the Mets’ Pete Alonso fell three to 15th.

READ: Shohei Ohtani surpasses 50-50 milestone in spectacular fashion

San Diego’s Manny Machado rose two to 16th, Cleveland’s José Ramírez was new to the top 20 at 17th and the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman rose two to 18th.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw joined the list at 19th, after making his season debut on July 25 following shoulder surgery.

Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman fell four slots to 20th. Atlanta’s Matt Olson and Toronto’s Bo Bichette dropped from the list.