The Dodgers have signed Shohei Ohtani to make history. The mission has been accomplished even before the Japanese star completes his first season in blue and white. Ohtani became the first MLB player to surpass the mark of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season on Thursday. It is considered a feat in this sport where statistics reign. The last player who came close to the record was Alex Rodriguez, who achieved 42/42 in 1998 playing for the Seattle Mariners. The mark, achieved against Miami, one of the weakest teams, reflects Ohtani’s style of play, as he combines his power in the batter’s box and his speed running the bases, something unusual for someone who plays as a pitcher. Some baseball analysts have called him a unicorn.
It has been a day full of milestones. Ohtani becomes the first in the major leagues to achieve these numbers. He has dethroned Shawn Green, the Dodgers player who achieved the record for home runs in a single season (49) in 2001. This was in force for almost a quarter of a century until the player born in Oshu surpassed it, setting a record of his own in his impressive career. His best had been in 2021, when he hit 46 home runs while still playing for the Angels, Los Angeles’ rival team that brought him from his native Japan. Last year he stayed at 44 with the same team. Thursday’s victory qualifies the Dodgers for the playoffs. Ohtani, already considered one of the best baseball players in history, has not played a single postseason game in his career in the seven years he has been in the United States.
“It’s something I wanted to accomplish as quickly as possible. And it’s something I’m going to cherish for a long time. To be honest, I’m the most surprised. I don’t know how I did it, but I’m glad it went well today,” Ohtani, 30, told television after the 20-4 thrashing of the Marlins. It took him 150 games to reach this double record. A few weeks ago, he became the sixth MLB player, and the first Dodgers player, to reach the 40-homer and 40-stolen-base club in a season. He was the fastest to do so, in just 126 games. “This game has been played for over 200 years and Shohei has accomplished something today that has never been done before,” said Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles coach, in the locker room, who toasted with champagne with his players.
“Baseball history opens a new chapter. Shohei Ohtani is the founder of the 50/50 club,” MLB wrote on its social media. The message was posted moments after Ohtani hit his second home run in the top of the seventh inning. But the Japanese would go even further. In the ninth inning, at the close of a historic game, Ohtani hit number 51. After a discreet series against the Atlanta Braves this week, the Japanese star let off steam this Thursday with a dream game. He hit six times in six at-bats: three home runs, two doubles, a single, drove in ten runs and scored four. The cherry on the cake was, of course, the two bases he stole from the Miami Marlins, the weakest team in the National League, who have only won 56 games this season. Only the Chicago White Sox have had a worse performance.
The record almost certainly ensures Ohtani the MVP of the season. There are players, however, who have hit more home runs than him. But not many. This season, only Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees superstar, is above the Japanese with 53. Judge, however, has only 10 stolen bases. Anthony Santander, the Baltimore Orioles outfielder, is in third place with nine fewer than Ohtani (and he has only two stolen bases in 147 games).
Nothing seems impossible for Ohtani. However, the player is a long way from the record for home runs in a single season. This is perhaps the most exclusive, and somewhat controversial, club in baseball. Only one active player has entered this select group. Aaron Judge joined the list of other big names such as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire thanks to his historic 2022 season, in which he hit 62 home runs. This was enough to leave Babe Ruth and Roger Maris behind. Bonds, Sosa and McGwire are riddled with controversy, as all three used doping substances in the seasons in which they recorded their records, above 60 home runs.
Ohtani signed with the Dodgers in December. His arrival to the Dodgers has been one of the latest blockbuster signings in American sports. The Los Angeles team offered 700 million dollars for a ten-year contract to acquire a unique profile that plays pitching from the mound and as a designated hitter. “I want to fight not only for the Dodgers, but for the entire world of baseball,” Ohtani said at the time, who announced his decision in Instagram after several days of tossing and turning with various teams such as Toronto, San Francisco and the Chicago Cubs. But he stayed in Los Angeles to make history.
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