Shohei Ohtani made baseball history on Thursday, September 19 in Miami, reaching 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the 2024 MLB season.
In becoming the first MLB player to have a 50-50 season, Ohtani achieved the feat in spectacular fashion.
Batting leadoff, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three homers, two doubles, a career-high and franchise-record 10 RBIs and two stolen bases in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 20-4 onslaught against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park.
With the win, the Dodgers clinched their 12th consecutive playoff berth.
Ohtani clubbed his 49th, 50th and 51st homers off a trio of Marlins relievers in the sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
"This will be a day I will never forget," Ohtani said after the game, according to NHK.
After achieving the seemingly impossible, Ohtani was both relieved and excited.
"It was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible," he said through an interpreter in a post-game TV interview, according to The Associated Press. "And, you know, it's something that I'm going to cherish for a very long time."
On reaching 50 homers and 50 steals on a career-best night at the plate, he added: "To be honest, I'm the one probably most surprised. I have no idea where this came from, but I'm glad I performed well today."
Dodgers teammates are in awe of what Ohtani has accomplished this year.
"Every night I feel like he does something that we haven't seen," third baseman Max Muncy was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
Shohei Ohtani: A Magnificent Display of Power-Hitting Prowess
With one out in the sixth inning, the 30-year-old Japanese slugger pounded an 0-1 slider from George Soriano and the ball flew into the second deck in right-center field. The two-run blast gave the Dodgers a 9-3 lead.
An inning later with two outs, Ohtani hammered a 1-2 knuckle curve from Mike Baumann over the left-field wall. His second two-run blast of the night, a 391-foot (119-meter) laser, made it 14-3. And Ohtani was now the first member of MLB's 50-50 club.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Ohtani stepped to the plate again. The Iwate Prefecture native clubbed a 2-0 offering from Vidal Brujan, who was making just his second relief appearance of 2024, over the right-center field fence. The hard-hit ball traveled 440 feet (134.1 meters), extending the visitors' lead to 17-3.
Brujan primarily plays in the infield and outfield. But in this lopsided loss, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker opted to bring him in to pitch in the ninth. He was Miami's fifth pitcher of the night.
What's more, Ohtani broke the franchise record for homers in a season. In 2001, Shawn Green belted 49 round-trippers.
Utilizing His Speed on the Basepaths
In the first inning, Ohtani smacked a leadoff double to right off Marlins starter Edward Cabrera (4-8), who was yanked from the game after 2⅓ innings. Two batters later, Ohtani stole third base, his 50th of the season. Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly.
Then, in the second inning, Ohtani singled and stole second base.
Ohtani hit his second two-bagger of the game in the third inning, driving in two runs to give Los Angeles a 7-1 advantage.
On Wednesday, Ohtani stole his 49th base after hitting a leadoff single in the first inning. The Dodgers won the game 8-4 as Ohtani inched closer to the landmark accomplishment that has generated immense media coverage on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
Ohtani's Growth as a Player
In the first year of his MLB record $700 million (around ¥100 billion JPY), 10-year contract with the Dodgers after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani has thoroughly impressed his boss.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is convinced that Ohtani has the greatest of aspirations.
"I think he wants to be the best player that's ever played this game," Roberts told the Los Angeles Times. "And one way to do that is to do something nobody has ever done."
Ohtani has hit 44 or more home runs in three of the past four seasons. But he's never had more than 26 stolen bases in a single season.
Now he's nearly doubled his previous career-high total ― and he's been caught stealing only four times (a career-low total).
What's been the key for Ohtani as he's made marked improvement as a baserunner?
During spring training, the Los Angeles Times reported, Ohtani "dove into scouting reports with first base coach Clayton McCullough on opposing pitchers' timing and pick-off tendencies, coupling a cerebral component with his explosive raw foot speed."
In addition, Roberts believes Ohtani's base-stealing mechanics have caught up with his great athleticism.
"I don't think in years past, watching him, I don't think he was a great base-stealer, I don't think he got great jumps," Roberts, told the Los Angeles Times. "But now when I watch him, especially from the third-base dugout at home, where I have a good visual of the pitcher and the runner, his jumps are on point."
A Quick Glance at the Numbers
How did Ohtani amass 50 homers and 50 stolen bases this season?
It started with seven homers and five steals in March and April.
In May, he added seven homers and eight steals.
June's totals: 12 homers and three steals.
In July, he hit six homers and swiped 12 bases.
August proved to be the most vital month, with 12 homers and 15 steals for the fan favorite. (On August 23, he became the sixth player in MLB history to have a 40-40 season.)
Through Thursday, September 19, he's had seven homers and eight steals in the season's final month.
The National League West-leading Dodgers (91-62) have nine regular-season games remaining.
So there's ample time for Shohei Ohtani to add additional impressive statistics to his total.
RELATED:
- MLB Notes: Shohei Ohtani Still on Pace to Have a 50-50 Season
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Shohei Ohtani is on Pace to Become MLB's 1st 50-50 Player
- Dodgers Superstar Shohei Ohtani Joins Exclusive 40-40 Club
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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