He is in a league of his own. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar and National League front runner for MVP Shohei Ohtani cemented his name in Major League Baseball history on Thursday, becoming the founding member of the 50-50 club against the Miami Marlins.
A 50-50 season is made up of 50+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani, who became the fastest player to record 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, connected on his 50th long ball of the season in the top of the seventh inning after swiping his 50th and 51st bases earlier in the game.
The Japanese two-way sensation gave the Dodgers an insurmountable 14-3 lead with his historic blast and the opposing fans gave him a standing ovation to recognize and applaud the remarkable feat. To top it off like the living legend he is, Ohtani homered one more time in his next at-bat in the 9th inning, giving him three for the game. He entered the record books in the most spectacular way possible, smacking two doubles, a single, three home runs and stealing two bases, one of the most iconic offensive performances of the season by any player.
The contest featured the first three-homer game of Ohtani’s career and the first 10 RBI game of his career.
The Dodgers won the game in blowout fashion, 20-4, over Marlins, clinching a spot in the playoffs.
“I’m glad that the team won,” Ohtani said after the game. “It was something that I wanted to get over as quickly as possible and you know it’s something that I’m going to cherish for a very long time.”
In Ohtani’s native country Japan, newspapers and other outlets rushed out special editions announcing the landmark news.
Top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said: “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart.”
“We sincerely hope Mr. Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he told a press conference.
There was a feeling in the air that the day could be special. Ohtani took his place in the batter’s box and kicked off his afternoon with a double in the first inning, accompanying it by stealing his 50th base of the season. After hitting a single in the top of the second, Ohtani swiped his 51st base. He hit a double his next time up, but was thrown out at third when he attempted to stretch it into a triple.
He sent his 49th home run into orbit in the sixth inning off of Marlins reliever George Soriano, sending a two-run shot to the second deck of right center field at LoanDepot Park to come within one of the 50-50 club.
Embed from Getty ImagesA mere one inning later, Ohtani hammered a three-run jack off of reliever Mike Baumann, his historic 50th of the season. Ohtani took a second to admire his work and stood at the plate as he watched the ball travel into the stands before making his way towards first base, shouting in triumph and excitement. After rounding the bases and being greeted by his Dodgers family, Ohtani made his way out of the dugout for a rare curtain call on the road.
However, his day was not over yet, as he blasted a Dodgers-record 51st home run in the ninth inning, passing Shawn Green for the most in a single season.
“To be honest, I’m the one probably most surprised. I have no idea where this came from but I’m glad that I performed well today,” Ohtani said about his day at the plate.
The closest anyone has come to the 50-50 mark was the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr., who stole 73 bases and hit 41 home runs in 2023, and the controversial Alex Rodriguez, who as a member of the Seattle Mariners hit 42 home runs and stole 46 bases in 1998.
Ohtani starred for six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels as both a slugger and a pitcher, twice capturing the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award. This past offseason, he inked a monumental $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.
This once in a lifetime accomplishment come without bumps in the road. Ohtani faced a personally difficult start to his time with the Dodgers. His longtime interpreter and friend Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty in court in June to fraud and tax charges for ripping off almost $17 million from the slugger to pay off gambling debts, an admission that came just hours after Ohtani’s debut in a Dodgers uniform during the season-opening game in South Korea.
Speculation was out of control around Ohtani for weeks after the discovery of Mizuhara’s gambling as hard-hitting questions were asked about what the superstar knew and exactly when he knew it. Ohtani, as well as Mizuhara himself, maintained that he knew nothing of his friend and interpreter’s gambling addiction and theft. When Mizuhara pleaded guilty, Ohtani said he had closure from the heart-breaking revelation.
“This has been a uniquely challenging time, so I am especially grateful for my support team – my family, agent, agency, lawyers, and advisors along with the entire Dodger organization, who showed endless support throughout this process. It’s time to close this chapter, move on and continue to focus on playing and winning ballgames,” he said in a statement.
As stated previously, Ohtani is the odds-on favorite to win the NL MVP award, despite not taking the mound this season due to offseason elbow surgery and Thursday was a year to the day of that operation. He has 51 home runs, with a .294 batting average this season while helping lead the Dodgers to a 91-62 record, good for first in the NL West division.
With the win against Miami, the Dodgers are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and give Ohtani his first chance to shine with everything on the line in October. In his six years as an Angel, Ohtani’s teams never once reached the postseason.
“Although I switched uniforms, I came to a new team, my goal was always to be in the playoffs and I’m glad that we were able to make it today, personally and as a team,” he said after the game.
