Last night the Los Angeles Dodgers manhandled the Miami Marlins winning the game 20-4 one of the best players in the game Shohei Ohtani did something that’s never been done before as he became the first member of the 50/50 club hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases. He ended the night going 6-6 with ten RBI and four runs scored; he had three home runs, two doubles, and two stolen bases. He entered the night with 48 home runs and 49 stolen bases, he wasted no time getting that 50th stolen base, in the top of the first he doubled to start the game and after two batters he stole third base to reach the milestone then in the top of the second he hit a single and then stole second base for the 51st stolen base. The history would continue in the top of the third he would double, then in the top of the sixth he hit home run number 49 putting him one away from history. In the top of the seventh history was made as he crushed a two-run home run making it 14-3, in his final at-bat in the top of the ninth in his final at-bat he hit home run number 51 to make it 17-3.
Ohtani will most likely be the runaway MVP for the National League which will be the first-ever designated hitter to win the award, he is hitting .294 this season with a 1.005 OPS; he has 34 doubles (a career-high), seven triples, those 51 home runs (a career-high), 120 RBI (a career-high), 123 runs scored (a career-high), 77 walks, and those 51 stolen bases. He is fifth in the National League in batting average, first in OPS, tied for eighth in doubles, tied for fourth in triples, first in home runs, first in RBI, first in runs scored, tied for second in walks, and second in stolen bases. As for all of baseball, he is 12th in batting average, second in OPS, tied for 14th in doubles, tied for seventh in triples, second in home runs, second in RBI, second in runs scored, tied for fourth in walks, and second in stolen bases.
Ohtani is not pitching this as he recovers from Tommy John surgery which has allowed him to focus on hitting, but when it comes to pitching, he is 38-19 in 86 starts with a 3.01 ERA, a 3.30 FIP, a 1.08 WHIP, a 3.2 BB/9, and an 11.4 K/9 in 481.2 innings. He won Rookie of the Year in 2018, and MVP twice in 2021, and 2023, he also finished second in voting in 2022; he finished in the top five in Cy-Young voting in 2022. This is his first season with the Dodgers signing on December 11, 2023, for ten years worth $700 million and he deferred $680 million to be spread out from 2022 to 2043. This season is even more impressive knowing what Shohei has gone through, having dealt with the fact that his closest friend, his interpreter, stole $16 million from him, and going through rehab for his injury. With nine games left and the tear he is on could he reach 60/60? Most likely not going to happen but what a season it has been for Shohei Ohtani who is working his way to being the best player of All-Time.
