Shohei Ohtani, designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, became the first member of the 50/50 club after hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases. He did it in 153 games, in the midst of a pennant race, and he made it appear simple. The Japanese superstar is having an extraordinary season. A season that may never be repeated, except possibly by Ohtani himself.
Shohei Ohtani Reaches Baseball Immortality with First-Ever 50/50 Season
A Foregone Conclusion?
Barring an injury, the question wasn’t whether Ohtani would do it, but when. The perennial All-Star started the game against the Miami Marlins with a double and then stole third base for his 50th of the season. It was the first step toward doing something unprecedented in baseball history. He quickly capped it off by swiping another base following a single.
Nearly Hit for the Cycle
Later in the game, Ohtani came tantalizingly close to a triple but was thrown out at third. However, his double and two RBIs helped the Dodgers win the game. However, that was simply a foreshadowing to what was to follow.
Power Surge
Now that the game is essentially over and thieving has become a milestone, may he climb closer to baseball immortality by hitting a home run? The answer was an emphatic yes. He hit not one, but three. In three straight at bats. They all had no doubts. In a day filled with history, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, two stolen bases, and ten RBI. Nobody has ever done that either. He also led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the postseason today, strangely at a city where Ohtani has never been himself.
Shohei Ohtani has been dubbed the Japanese Babe Ruth and a Baseball Unicorn, and he is a strong candidate for the 2024 National League Most Valuable Player award. The only remaining issue is whether Shohei Ohtani is the greatest baseball player of all time. Only time and history can answer that question, but Ohtani went above and above today to make his point.
