CNN
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Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani made major league history on Thursday by becoming the inaugural member of the 50-50 club in a game against the Miami Marlins.
A 50-50 season is one in which 50 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases are recorded in a single season.
Ohtani, who became the fastest player in history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season, successfully stole his 50th and 51st bases early in the game before hitting his 50th home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning.
The Japanese two-way sensation hit a historic home run to give the Dodgers a 14-3 lead. Incredibly, he homered again in his next at-bat in the ninth inning, his third home run of the game. He recorded an astounding tally of two doubles, one single, three home runs and two stolen bases, one of the best offensive performances by any player this season.
This game was Ohtani’s first career game with three home runs and his first career game with 10 RBIs.
The Dodgers ultimately defeated Miami 20-4 to clinch a playoff berth.
“I’m glad the team won,” Ohtani said after the game. “I wanted to get over this as quickly as possible, but I’ll cherish this victory forever.”
In Ohtani’s native Japan, newspapers rushed to print special editions to break the news.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said, “We would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations.”
“I sincerely hope that Ohtani, who has already accomplished many great feats and paved the way for a new era, will continue to achieve even greater success,” he said at a press conference.
Ohtani doubled in the first inning and stole his 50th base of the season. After singled an inning later, Ohtani stole his 51st base. He doubled in his next at-bat, but was called out at third while trying to extend the lead to a third.
He hit his 49th home run in the sixth inning off Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano, a two-run homer into the second deck in right-center field at LawnDepot Park to pull the series within one run of winning.
One inning later, Ohtani hit a three-run homer off relief pitcher Mike Baumann for his 50th of the season. He watched the ball fly into the stands for a moment at home plate, then screamed in excitement as he made his way to first base. After rounding the bases and being greeted by his Dodgers teammates, Ohtani emerged from the dugout for a rare curtain call on the road.
But his exploits didn’t end there, as he hit his 51st home run in the ninth inning, setting a Dodger record and breaking Shawn Green’s single-season home run record.
“To be honest, I’m probably the most surprised. I don’t know why it happened, but I’m glad I played well today,” Ohtani said during his at-bat.
The closest players to a 50-50 record were Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., who had 73 stolen bases and 41 home runs in 2023, and Alex Rodriguez, who had 42 home runs and 46 stolen bases as a member of the Seattle Mariners in 1998.
Ohtani played six seasons as a slugger and pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, winning the American League Most Valuable Player award twice, before signing a historic, 10-year contract worth $700 million with the Dodgers last offseason.
The historic achievement came after Ohtani faced a personally difficult start to his tenure with the Dodgers: Longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to fraud and tax evasion charges for embezzling nearly $17 million from the slugger to pay off gambling debts, just hours after Ohtani made his debut in a Dodgers uniform in the season opener in South Korea.
In the weeks since Mizuhara’s gambling scandal was revealed, Ohtani has been the subject of much speculation, raising questions about what the superstar knew and when. Ohtani, like Mizuhara himself, has maintained he knew nothing about his friend and interpreter’s gambling addiction and thefts. When Mizuhara pleaded guilty, Ohtani said the sad truth was finally settled.
“This has been a uniquely difficult time, so I’m especially grateful to my support team – my family, agent, distributor, attorneys, advisors and the entire Dodgers organization – who have shown constant support throughout this process. It’s now time to close this chapter and move forward, continuing to play and focus on winning games,” he said in a statement.
The Japanese star is the front-runner for the National League MVP award despite not pitching this season due to offseason elbow surgery, having hit 51 home runs and a .294 batting average this season to lead the Dodgers to a 91-62 record and first place in the National League West.
A win over Miami would clinch the Dodgers a playoff berth and give Ohtani a chance to shine in October. During his time with the Angels, Ohtani’s teams never made the postseason.
“I’ve changed uniforms but I’m here with a new team. My goal has always been to reach the playoffs and I’m happy that we achieved that goal today, both individually and as a team,” he said after the match.
