Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the best individual performances in MLB history on Thursday night, taking his dominant first season with the Dodgers to new heights.
Fans in Miami chanted “MVP!” as Ohtani rounded the bases after stepping over the fence for the 50th time, becoming the first major league player to hit at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani crossed the 50-50 mark in the most dramatic game of his historic career, becoming the first major league player to hit three home runs and steal two bases in one game during a 20-4 victory over the Marlins that also secured the Dodgers a playoff spot.
“I almost cried, honestly,” Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “It was a very emotional moment because of everything that goes on behind the scenes and what we get to experience every day.”
The $700 million Japanese superstar from Los Angeles hit his 49th home run in the sixth inning, his 50th in the seventh and his 51st in the ninth. He finished 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs and became the first player in the major leagues to hit three home runs and steal two bases in a game
Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the best individual performances in MLB history
He became the first MLB star with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season
“It was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. And you know, it’s something I’ll cherish for a long time,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani reached the second deck in right-center on two of his three homers at LoanDepot Park. In the sixth inning, he hit a slider off George Soriano 438 feet for his 49th.
Ohtani hit his 50th home run in the seventh, an opposite-field, two-run homer to left off Marlins reliever Mike Baumann. Then, in the ninth, his 51st homer went 440 feet to right-center, a three-run homer off Marlins second baseman Vidal Brujan, who came on to pitch with the game out of hand.
“Honestly, I’m probably the one who’s most surprised,” Ohtani said. “I don’t know where this came from, but I’m glad it went well today.”
Ohtani entered the game with 48 homers and 49 steals. He made the stolen bases count early, stealing his 50th in the first and his 51st in the second. He was successful in his last 28 attempts to steal a base.
He broke the Dodgers record of 49 home runs, set by Shawn Green in 2001.
And he became the third player in Major League history to have at least six hits, three home runs and 10 RBIs in a game, joining Cincinnati’s Walker Cooper in 1949 and Washington’s Anthony Rendon in 2017.
“THIS MAN IS UNREAL!!!” LeBron James posted on X.
Ohtani has 120 RBIs, trailing only Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees (53 homers, 136 RBIs) in both categories.
LeBron James was clearly impressed with Ohtani as he watched from a distance
He also became the first player in the major leagues to hit three home runs and steal two bases in one game
Fans chanted “MVP!” as Ohtani rounded the bases after stepping over the fence for the 50th time
Ohtani reached the 50-50 milestone in his 150th game, becoming the sixth player in Major League history and the fastest ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season, doing so in just 126 games.
His previous career high in home runs was 46 for the Los Angeles Angels in 2021, when he also made 23 starts and won his first of two American League MVP awards.
It was another memorable night for Ohtani at LoanDepot Park, where he retired then-Angels teammate Mike Trout of the United States for the final out of the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship, playing for Japan.
“I’ve had some of the most memorable moments of my career here,” Ohtani said, “and this stadium has become one of my favorite stadiums.”
Already considered by many to be the best player in baseball, whose accomplishments as a pitcher and hitter surpassed even Babe Ruth, Ohtani reached new heights as an offensive player when he took a year off from pitching.
Ohtani signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers last December.
The two-way star, who previously spent six years with the Los Angeles Angels, has played exclusively as a designated hitter this season as he rehabilitates from surgery last year to repair an elbow ligament injury.