It’s been four years since the last time a player pulled off a 30-30 (home runs & stolen bases) season, and Mike Trout is more or less on pace to finish just around that, which will make him the 14th player in major league baseball history with multiple seasons to induct into the club, which has only four players that have done it three or more times.
Ryan Braun – 2 times
The Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder went back to back in his 30-30 achievement, once in 2011, with 33 home runs and 33 stolen bases, followed by 41 home runs and 30 stolen bases. He won the MVP award in 2011 for his efforts, and finished second in the MVP voting in 2012.
Ian Kinsler – 2 times
Kinsler, now with the Detroit Tigers, made his 30-30 efforts while still with the Texas Rangers. First, in 2009, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 31 bases. In 2011 he had his second 30-30 year, hitting 34 home runs and stealing 32 bases.
Bobby Abreu – 2 times
Abreu, who has been out of the league since 2014, produced two 30-30 seasons while playing for the Philadelphia Phillies. His first was in 2001, hitting a career high 31 home runs while stealing 36 bases, and the second came in 2004, with 30 home runs and 40 stolen bases.
Vladimir Guerrero – 2 times
Guerrero played for the Montreal Expos from 1996 to 2003 before moving on to California. He went back to back in the 30-30 department, first in 2001 with 34 homers and 37 steals, followed by 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 2002.
Raul Mondesi – 2 times
Mondesi played right field from 1993 to 2005, spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Dodgers. In 1997, with 30 home runs and 32 stolen bases, he entered the 30-30 club. Two years later, with 33 home runs and 36 steals he had his redux season.
Jeff Bagwell – 2 times
Bagwell played his entire career with the Houston Astros (1991-2005), winning the MVP once (1994). His 30-30 seasons came a bit later: In 1997 with 43 home runs and 31 stolen bases, and in 1999 with 42 home runs and 30 steals.
Sammy Sosa – 2 times
Sosa played from 1989 to 2007, with most of that time wearing a Chicago Cubs uniform, including when he won the MVP in 1998, and when he had his two 30-30 seasons. In 1993, he hits 33 homers to go with 36 stolen bases, and in 1995, with 36 home runs and 34 steals.
Ron Gant – 2 times
Gant started his 16-year MLB career in Atlanta, and with the Braves he also had his two 30-30 seasons. He hit 32 home runs to go with 33 stolen bases in 1990, and repeated in 1991 with 32 homers and 34 steals.
Willie Mays – 2 times
Mays, a two-time MVP, played most of his career with the Giants, in their New York days and in San Francisco, before a short career-ending stint with the Mets. The hall of famer, and arguably the best baseball player ever, had his first 30-30 season in 1956 with 36 home runs and 40 stolen bases. It was only the second time anyone ever accomplished the 30-30, and the first in 34 years. Mays repeated the feat in 1957 with 35 home runs and 38 stolen bases.
Howard Johnson – 3 times
After winning the World Series with the Tigers in 1984, Johnson joined the Mets and won it again in 1986. In 1987 he had his first 30-30 season with 36 home runs and 32 stolen bases. In 1989 he hit 36 home runs to go with 41 RBIs, and in 1991 he led the majors in home runs with 38, while stealing 30 bases. He was the second player at the time to accomplish the feat three times.
Alfonso Soriano – 4 times
Soriano has four 30-30 seasons (two with the Yankees, one with the Rangers, one with the Nationals), and is also one of only four players in baseball history with a 40-40 season, hitting 46 home runs to go with 41 stolen bases in 2006. In 2002, with 39 home runs and 41 steals he had his first 30-30 season, in 2003 had 38 homers with 35 stolen bases, and in 2005 finished with 36 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
Barry Bonds – 5 times
Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, 7 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates and 15 with the Giants. His first two 30-30 seasons came in Pittsburgh, with 33 home runs and 52 stolen bases in 1990, followed by 34 home runs and 39 stolen bases in 1992. He then made it a three-peat in 1995 through 1997 when already playing for the Giants, with 33-31 in 95′, 42-40 in 96′ and 40-37 in 1997. He missed out by one stolen base in 1993 and 1994, and needed two steals in 1998 to mark another 30-30 season. Bonds, the all-time leader in home runs (762) won the MVP seven times.
Bobby Bonds – 5 times
The original Bonds, Bobby Bonds, the father of Barry. Bobby played his first seven seasons with the Giants before moving around quite a lot. In 1969 he had his first 30-30 season with 32 home runs and 45 stolen bases. The second time came in 1973, hitting 39 home runs to go with 43 steals. In 1975 he did it again, now playing for the Yankees, hitting 32 home runs to go with 30 steals. In 1977 came the fourth 30-30 season, going 37-41 for the California Angels. He did it for a fifth and final time in 1978, playing for both the Angels and later the Chicago White Sox, hitting 31 home runs and stealing 43 bases.