MIAMI — The greatest offensive display in baseball history moved Shohei Ohtani’s teammates to tears. It inspired awe and childlike giggles from the rest of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ uber-talented stars who still could not wrap their heads around what they just witnessed.
Baseball’s most tantalizing talent has 50-50, and he got there in preposterous fashion. A unicorn player already in his own company became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. He did so Thursday with a game unlike anything ever seen.
“This game has been around for a long time, and to do something that’s never been done — he’s one of one,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know that I’ve seen anything like this.”
No player in major-league history had slugged three home runs and stolen two bases in a game before Ohtani did it Thursday in creating a 51-51 club with nine games to go. As if that weren’t enough, Ohtani finished 6-for-6 with 10 RBIs a 20-4 romp over the Miami Marlins. So ridiculous was Ohtani’s performance that, if not for a quick relay to throw out Ohtani at third on a two-run double, he would have finished with his second career cycle, as well.
No one has had a day like this. No one has had a season like this. No one could believe it. Except maybe Ohtani.
He did it. 50-50. pic.twitter.com/JVNdMI5E3R
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 19, 2024
“If I’m being honest,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton, “it was something I wanted to get over as soon as possible.”
He got within striking distance of 50-50 in the first inning, when he doubled off the top of the wall and stole his 50th base of the season on the front end of a double steal. Ohtani added another stolen base before he pummeled an Edward Cabrera breaking ball into the upper deck for his 49th home run, matching Shawn Green’s single-season franchise record set in 2001. He already had four hits by the time he stepped in to face Marlins reliever Mike Baumann in the seventh inning.
With first base empty and history on the horizon, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker let Baumann pitch to Ohtani.
Why not walk him?
“I think that’s a bad move, baseball-wise, karma-wise, baseball God-wise,” Schumaker explained to reporters. “You go after him.”
With one vigorous two-strike swing on a hanging breaking ball, Ohtani made history, driving his 50th home run into the Recess Sports Lounge in left field at loanDepot Park. A crowd swarmed to try to secure a piece of history — a group of Major League Baseball authenticators had swapped out the usual baseballs for balls specially marked for Ohtani’s at-bat — as Ohtani celebrated his accomplishment with a roar to the dugout.
This, Ohtani said, was a relief.
Already exalted into baseball immortality, Ohtani added a home run off of position player Vidal Brujan in the ninth inning, his second visit to the upper deck of the afternoon.
“I think he was just feeling good, feeling sexy and just knew, like, ‘I’m about to do this today,’” Mookie Betts said. “I mean, he could’ve had four homers today. I’m at a loss for words.”
Ohtani’s fourth home run in three games in Miami capped an electric conclusion to his historic chase. Finishing off history with a flourish is old hat at this point. The man who secured the fastest 40-40 season ever with a walk-off grand slam somehow managed to up the ante for 50-50.
“I can’t put a finger on it, and it’s uncanny,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers celebrated on Thursday. They sipped but did not spray their imbibements as they commemorated a 12th consecutive postseason berth. They toasted with glasses of Veuve Clicquot. A muted celebration reflected the numbing consistency of this franchise for the past decade-plus. Roberts managed his first game for the Dodgers in 2016 and has not missed a postseason in any year since. Entire careers have come and gone during this playoff streak: Come October, the Dodgers will be there.
They punched this year’s ticket behind baseball’s biggest star. No active player has played more major-league games without being in the postseason than Ohtani. For six years, the otherworldly talent languished in Anaheim, Calif., the home of baseball’s longest playoff drought (dating to 2014).
“Obviously I changed teams this year and my goal has always been to make it to the playoffs,” Ohtani said.
That, as much as anything, informed his decision to join baseball’s most consistent regular-season winner. Given the opportunity to punctuate his new reality, Ohtani delivered a milestone performance in a clinching game.
The Dodgers wore T-shirts honoring Ohtani’s 50-50 feat. The shirts bore images of Ohtani at the plate and sliding safely to steal a base. Ohtani spoke briefly to thank his teammates, who responded with continued awe.
“We’re watching the greatest player to ever play the game and he’s not even pitching this year,” Gavin Lux said.
“Obviously with the things Shohei is doing, you have to take a moment and congratulate him,” Teoscar Hernández said.
“What we see is, like, expected,” Betts said. “It’s crazy that he lives up to those types of expectations. But that’s also what makes you speechless.”
“We all know we witnessed history,” Miguel Rojas said. “I almost cried, to be honest with you, because it was a lot of emotions, because of everything that happens behind the scenes that we got to witness every single day. So it’s a pretty cool moment. We all know what he’s capable of doing. But for him to reach that mark, it’s pretty amazing.”
(Photo of Shohei Ohtani: Megan Briggs / Getty Images)
