Shohei Ohtani returned to Dodger Stadium on Friday as a triumphant hero, having captured the first 50-50 season in MLB history, and he continued to do what he does best.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star created the 52-52 club with a home run and a stolen base against the Colorado Rockies after reaching 50-50 and 51-51 in the same game. Facing Rockies starter Kyle Freeland in the top of the fifth inning, Ohtani worked the count full before taking a pitch under his arm and into deep center field.
There aren’t many hitters who can hit the ball that high, 423 feet (about 120 meters).
Two innings later, Ohtani reached base with a single and advanced to second on the first pitch to Mookie Betts.
It was the 14th time this season that Ohtani has hit a home run and stolen a base in the same game, breaking the record of 13 set by Rickey Henderson in 1986.
The Dodgers won 6-4.
Ohtani is now one home run shy of the major league’s leading home run hitter, Aaron Judge, and over his past two games he’s gone 9-for-10 with four home runs, two doubles, three stolen bases, six runs scored and 12 RBI. Most of that action came on Thursday against the Marlins, when Ohtani got to 50-50 not just with style but with the greatest offense in MLB history.
Ohtani hit his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs of the season and stole his 50th and 51st bases, all in the same game, achieving an unprecedented feat in a season and the 16th 10-RBI game in MLB history. It also marked the first game in MLB history with three home runs and two stolen bases, all on the anniversary of his Tommy John surgery (Ohtani underwent a medial biceps fixator on September 19, 2023).
The only drawback to this magical night was that it was on the road, but Ohtani still got a curtain call at Miami’s LawnDepot Park. Dodgers fans did their best to make up for it with a standing ovation before his first at-bat on Friday, and Ohtani shook his hand.
Ohtani may have reached 50-50, but it remains to be seen how far he can push into uncharted territory with home runs and stolen bases.
Then there’s the playoff question. The Dodgers, 92-62, clinched a playoff berth on Thursday and are four games behind the San Diego Padres for the NL West crown with eight games remaining. Regardless of where they finish in Ohtani’s first postseason, they will have to overcome a spate of injuries to their pitching staff if they want to bring him a championship ring.
