Shohei Ohtani etched his name into baseball history on Thursday with a performance that was nothing short of legendary.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar made headlines by stealing his 50th base of the season and launching two home runs, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to achieve a 50-homer, 50-steal season.
Ohtani wasted no time showing off his speed, swiping bases in both the first and second innings to bring his total to 51 stolen bases.
Then, Ohtani smashed his 49th home run of the season, sending a slider from Miami Marlins reliever George Soriano soaring into the upper deck at LoanDepot Park.
Dodgers fans didn’t have to wait long for Ohtani to reach the milestone everyone had been anticipating.
In the seventh inning, with Mike Baumann on the mound, Ohtani connected with a 1-2 knuckle curve, driving the ball 391 feet to the opposite field for his 50th home run of the year.
The blast made him the founding – and only – member of baseball’s exclusive 50-homer, 50-steal club.
Ohtani’s historic day was packed with achievements, as he went 5-for-5, tallying seven RBIs, three runs, and two steals in just seven innings.
His second homer of the day pushed the Dodgers to a commanding 14-3 lead over the Marlins.
To top it off, Ohtani also broke the Dodgers’ single-season home run record, previously set at 49 by Shawn Green in 2001.
The two-way Japanese sensation started the game with a double off Marlins starter Edward Cabrera, then proceeded to steal third base, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly by Will Smith.
In the second inning, Ohtani added his 51st steal after driving in Max Muncy with a two-out single.
Despite his individual brilliance, Ohtani remains in heated statistical battles.
His 51 stolen bases rank second only to Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, who leads with 64, while his 50 home runs trail only New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who sits at 53.
Ohtani, the leading candidate for the National League MVP, has been having a remarkable season, entering Thursday’s game with a .287 batting average, 110 RBIs, and a .978 OPS.
The Dodgers inked Ohtani to a historic 10-year, $700 million contract last December, and he has lived up to every penny of it.
The Dodgers, now at 90-62, started the day with a 3.5-game lead in the NL West as they aim for their 11th division title in the past 12 years.
Where do you rank Ohtani among the top players in baseball? … Would you take him over Aaron Judge?
As for the Dodgers, do you view them as the favorites to win the World Series???