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.
害羞草研究所淚t was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. And, you know, it害羞草研究所檚 something that I害羞草研究所檓 going to cherish for a very long time,害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淭o be honest, I害羞草研究所檓 the one probably most surprised,害羞草研究所� Ohtani said. 害羞草研究所淚 have no idea where this came from, but I害羞草研究所檓 glad that it was going well today.害羞草研究所�
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害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 Walker Cooper in 1949 and Washington害羞草研究所檚 Anthony Rendon in 2017.
THERE IS ONLY ONE SHOHEI OHTANI.
害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檚 hitting coaches and studied video of opposing pitchers to understand their tendencies with hitters and baserunners.
害羞草研究所淚 see all the work he puts in,害羞草研究所� Dodgers catcher Will Smith said recently. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not like he goes out there and it害羞草研究所檚 too easy for him. He works harder than anybody. He scouts really hard. He害羞草研究所檚 playing a different game so it害羞草研究所檚 fun to see.害羞草研究所�
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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害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 not pitching this year so I think he is emptying the tank offensively,害羞草研究所� Manager Dave Roberts said. 害羞草研究所淚 do think the power, the on-base (percentage), the average, I think he can do that as a pitcher. He害羞草研究所檚 done something pretty similar like that with his OPS. But as far as the stolen bases go, I害羞草研究所檓 not sure about that.害羞草研究所�
Ohtani害羞草研究所檚 teammates have enjoyed watching him crush home runs and scamper around the bases.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 honestly kind of trying to learn from him just seeing the way he goes about his day-to-day business. He害羞草研究所檚 very consistent, the same demeanor throughout,害羞草研究所� outfielder Tommy Edman said recently. 害羞草研究所淚 think that害羞草研究所檚 why he害羞草研究所檚 such a good player.害羞草研究所�
Third baseman Max Muncy added, 害羞草研究所淓very night I feel like he does something that we haven害羞草研究所檛 seen.害羞草研究所�
What害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所� without pitching 害羞草研究所� has ever won MVP, although Don Baylor, Edgar Martinez and David Ortiz placed high in the vote.
It would be Ohtani害羞草研究所檚 third career MVP award.
Alanis Thames, The Associated Press
