Shohei Ohtani became the first major league player to exceed 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season during the most spectacular game of a history-making career for the Los Angeles Dodgers star, going deep three times and swiping two bags on Thursday in a 20-4 win over the Miami Marlins.
Ohtani hit is 49th homer in the sixth inning, his 50th in the seventh and his 51st in the ninth. He finished 6 for 6 with 10 RBIs while becoming the first big league player to hit three homers and steal two bases in a game.
鈥淚t was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. And, you know, it鈥檚 something that I鈥檓 going to cherish for a very long time,鈥� Ohtani said through an interpreter in a televised interview.
The Japanese superstar reached the second deck in right-center on two of his three homers at LoanDepot Park. In the sixth inning, he from George Soriano 438 feet for his 49th.
in the seventh inning, an opposite-field, two-run shot to left against Marlins reliever Mike Baumann. Then, in the ninth, to right-center, a three-run shot against Marlins second baseman Vidal Brujan, who came in to pitch with the game out of hand. and clinched their 12th straight playoff berth.
鈥淭o be honest, I鈥檓 the one probably most surprised,鈥� Ohtani said. 鈥淚 have no idea where this came from, but I鈥檓 glad that it was going well today.鈥�
Ohtani took care of the stolen bases earlier in the game, swiping his 50th in the first and his 51st in the second.
He broke the Dodgers鈥� franchise record of 49 homers set by Shawn Green in 2001. And he became the third player in major league history with at least six hits, three homers and 10 RBIs in a game, joining Cincinnati鈥檚 Walker Cooper in 1949 and Washington鈥檚 Anthony Rendon in 2017.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SHOHEI OHTANI.
鈥� Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers)
The Japanese superstar led off the game with double against Edward Cabrera on the front end of a double steal with Freddie Freeman, who reached on a walk.
Ohtani has been successful on his last 28 stolen base attempts.
He reached the 50-50 milestone in his 150th game. Ohtani was already the sixth player in major league history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, needing just 126 games.
Ohtani鈥檚 previous career high in homers was 46 for the Los Angeles Angels in 2021, when he also made 23 starts on the mound and won his first of two American League MVP awards.
Already the consensus best player in baseball whose accomplishments as a pitcher and batter outpaced even Babe Ruth, Ohtani reached new heights as an offensive player while taking the year off from pitching.
Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers last December. The two-way star, who previously spent six years with the Los Angeles Angels, has played exclusively at designated hitter this season as he rehabilitates after surgery a year ago for an injured elbow ligament.
Preparation was a key to Ohtani becoming the first member of the 50-50 club. He regularly huddled with the team鈥檚 hitting coaches and studied video of opposing pitchers to understand their tendencies with hitters and baserunners.
鈥淚 see all the work he puts in,鈥� Dodgers catcher Will Smith said recently. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like he goes out there and it鈥檚 too easy for him. He works harder than anybody. He scouts really hard. He鈥檚 playing a different game so it鈥檚 fun to see.鈥�
Ohtani appeared to make the 50-50 mark his mission. He increased the frequency of his base-stealing attempts and in turn his success rate went up.
But that may not be the case next year when he returns to the mound.
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鈥淗e鈥檚 not pitching this year so I think he is emptying the tank offensively,鈥� Manager Dave Roberts said. 鈥淚 do think the power, the on-base (percentage), the average, I think he can do that as a pitcher. He鈥檚 done something pretty similar like that with his OPS. But as far as the stolen bases go, I鈥檓 not sure about that.鈥�
Ohtani鈥檚 teammates have enjoyed watching him crush home runs and scamper around the bases.
鈥淚鈥檓 honestly kind of trying to learn from him just seeing the way he goes about his day-to-day business. He鈥檚 very consistent, the same demeanor throughout,鈥� outfielder Tommy Edman said recently. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 why he鈥檚 such a good player.鈥�
Third baseman Max Muncy added, 鈥淓very night I feel like he does something that we haven鈥檛 seen.鈥�
What鈥檚 next for Ohtani?
The Dodgers are headed to the postseason in October, which will be another first for Ohtani. He never made it there with the Angels, who never had a winning record during his tenure in Anaheim.
Another potential first could be earning National League MVP honors as a designated hitter. No player who got most of his playing time as a DH 鈥� without pitching 鈥� has ever won MVP, although Don Baylor, Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz placed high in the vote.
It would be Ohtani鈥檚 third career MVP award.
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
