Shohei Ohtani made history again on Thursday with one of his best hitting performances of all time.
The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger hit his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs of the season against the Miami Marlins, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. Ohtani also stole his 50th and 51st bases on Thursday, going 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs. He also became the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs and steal two bases in a single game.
The historic blast came in the seventh inning against Miami’s Mike Bauman. It was Ohtani’s second home run and fifth hit of the day, breaking Sean Green’s Dodgers franchise single-season home run record. Ohtani’s 10 RBIs on Thursday also set a new franchise record.
relevant: How Shohei Ohtani Lost Half His Power But Rewrote MLB History and Achieved 50/50
Ohtani hit a double to right field in the sixth for his historic home run, and then hit a 440-foot triple to right field in the ninth for his third home run in a 20-4 Dodgers win.
Since RBI became an official statistic in 1920, no player has had a game with 10 RBIs, six hits, five extra-base hits, three home runs and two stolen bases in a career. Ohtani did it all on Thursday. He became the seventh player to reach 17 total bases in a game and the first to do so without hitting four home runs.
Ohtani’s 50/50 record is a testament to his incredible first season with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract this offseason.
The 30-year-old is making his fourth All-Star appearance this summer and is a strong candidate to win the National League MVP. His 50 home runs also lead the NL and trail Aaron Judge for most in baseball. His 51 stolen bases are second in the league, behind only Elly De La Cruz.
With his outstanding performance at the plate and as a runner, Ohtani is currently a strong candidate to win his third MVP award in his illustrious career. He won AL MVP twice during his six-year tenure with the Los Angeles Angels, including in 2023. In contrast to his two MVP seasons, Ohtani did not pitch in the 2024 regular season after undergoing surgery on a torn UCL in his pitching elbow in September 2023.
If Ohtani wins the NL MVP, he will follow in the footsteps of Atlanta Braves star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. Ohtani’s 50/50 season also followed Acuna’s historic 2023 season, in which he hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases. Ohtani joined Acuna as one of six players to achieve a 40/40 season when he hit a walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays in August for his 40th home run of the year. He became the fastest player to achieve a 40/40 season by 21 games, hitting his 40th home run in his 126th game of the season. From there, the countdown to 50/50 began.
Shohei Ohtani Becomes MLB’s First 50/50 Player
To put Ohtani’s 50/50 record into perspective, here are the previous single-season stolen base records for players with 50 home runs:
T-1. Alex Rodriguez (2007) – 54 home runs, 24 stolen bases
T-1. Willie Mays (1955) – 51 home runs, 24 stolen bases
3. Brady Anderson (1996) – 50 home runs, 21 stolen bases
4. Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) – 56 home runs, 20 stolen bases
T-5. Sammy Sosa (1998) – 66 home runs, 18 stolen bases
T-5. Alex Rodriguez (2001) – 52 home runs, 18 stolen bases
Also, here are the previous single-season home run rankings for players who stole 50 bases:
1. Ronald Acuna (2023) – 73 stolen bases, 41 home runs
2. Eric Davis (1987) – 50 stolen bases, 37 home runs
3. Barry Bonds (1990) – 52 stolen bases, 33 home runs
4. Hanley Ramirez (2007) – 51 stolen bases, 29 home runs
T-5. Rickey Henderson (1986) – 87 stolen bases, 28 home runs
T-5. Rickey Henderson (1990) – 65 stolen bases, 28 home runs
For the first time in Ohtani’s MLB career, his campaign won’t end with the regular season. The Dodgers clinched a playoff spot with Thursday’s win, setting the stage for Ohtani to finally make a postseason appearance.
The Dodgers also left open the possibility that he could pitch in the postseason, with manager Dave Roberts telling reporters in early September that the chances of Ohtani taking the mound were “very slim,” but not “absolutely nonexistent.”
Otani also seemed to have left the door open.
“I don’t know,” Otani said. “I smiled and told reporters through an interpreter earlier this week,” he said.
No matter what happens in October, Ohtani will have another record and another outstanding season.
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