During Thursday’s Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Miami Marlins game, baseball phenom Shohei Ohtani hit a record no other player has reached.
In that game, Ohtani became the first baseball player to reach the elusive “50/50” milestone, which translates to 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season. This new figure surpasses the previous records of-Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners In 1998, When he achieves “42/42”.,” and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr.who hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases in 2023. This is especially impressive because most players are either muscular power hitters or quick base stealers, not both.
This latest record only adds to Ohtani’s dominance in Major League Baseball. First signed to the Los Angeles Angels in 2017, Ohtani has long been considered a unique talent because of how good he is at both hitting and pitching, a rare combination. Given his strength as a “two-way player”—a caliber not seen since the likes of Babe Ruth—he earned one of the most lucrative contracts in sports when The Dodgers offered him a 10-year, $700 million contract through 2023. Since joining the MLB, Ohtani is the first player in recent memory to be ranked in the top 15 Both home runs scored and strikeouts pitched in a single season.
Besides being the only member of the 50/50 club, Ohtani turned in a historically strong game on Thursday. In six at-bats, Ohtani had three home runs, two doubles and a single, scoring each time. His hits (RBIs) also led to 10 runs batted in, setting a new Dodgers record. And on top of that, he stole two bases. (This means he not only scored a 50/50, he now has a record 51 houses run theft base.)
Notably, so has Ohtani Recovering from an elbow surgery That left him unable to pitch this season.
Which made Thursday’s game a neat encapsulation of what made Ohtani a star. He has demonstrated uncommon versatility in the game as a commanding pitcher and hitter, and is now a record-breaking base-stealer as well. Players recovering from surgery often have slow seasons, but that wasn’t the case for Ohtani. and as The Washington Post notesIt might take other players several games to do what Ohtani did in one on Thursday. Ohtani was able to accomplish so much in Thursday’s game that he is one of the most popular athletes in Major League Baseball and is already considered by many fans to be the greatest player of all time.
What does record mean?
The record is a testament to Ohtani’s unique power as a hitter as well as his speed.
Ohtani had one of his strongest offensive games of the season on Thursday, ultimately helping the Dodgers secure a spot in this year’s playoffs with his runs scored. He also refined his ability to steal bases, improve his “running mechanics” and broader offensive strategies, According to the Wall Street Journal. as ESPN notesPlayers in Ohtani’s current position — designated hitter, an athlete who stands up to bat for a pitcher — tend to be slow. Prior to this year, Ohtani had never stolen more than 26 bases in a season.
After an injury in 2023, Ohtani was forced to take a break from pitching and instead used that time and energy to improve his base stealing. His latest success comes after a dramatic sports gambling scandal involving his former interpreter earlier this year Ipei Mizuharawho stole money from Ohtani to pay off debts and pleaded guilty to bank fraud. After an investigation by the league, Ohtani was eventually cleared of wrongdoing.
Ohtani’s record-breaking game this week firmly established his stature in the sport and was widely cheered by other baseball greats. Jose Canseco of the Oakland Athleticswho became the first player to hit the “40/40” in 1988, and peers like Taylor Walls of the Tampa Bay Rays, who said his team was watching Ohtani play. Time to play yourself.
“This guy is unreal,” basketball legend LeBron James Posted in X.
Ohtani’s teammate on the Dodgers, second baseman Gavin Lux, best summed up Thursday’s game and Ohtani’s playing style.
“This has to be the greatest baseball game ever. It has to be,” At the end of the game Lux Dr. “No way. It’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen anybody do it, even in Little League, so it’s crazy that he’s doing it at the highest level.
