Shohei Ohtani did it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star completed an unprecedented 50-50 season, hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in the same season — and he did it with nine games to go.
He then went on to post a 51-51 record in the same stretch, helping the team clinch the first playoff berth of his career.
And Ohtani did it with the greatest offensive output in MLB history: 6-for-6 with three home runs, two stolen bases, two doubles, four runs scored and 10 RBIs. His 50th home run also broke the Dodgers’ all-time home run record, set by Shawn Green in 2001.
The final piece of the puzzle came in the seventh inning Thursday from Marlins relief pitcher Mike Bauman.
After hitting a double to score the first run of the game, Ohtani stole third base, reaching 50 stolen bases early in the first inning.
The star DH then scored a run to give Los Angeles an early 1-0 lead against Miami. He reached base with an RBI single in the second inning, advanced to second base without a throw and then added his 51st stolen base.
His 49th home run came in the sixth inning, and it was a big one, traveling 438 feet, 111.2 mph, according to Statcast, to give the Dodgers a 9-3 lead.
Ohtani came within seconds of recording the cycle when he was called out while trying to extend a double into a triple in the top of the third inning.
The explosive moment came in the ninth inning against position pitcher Vidal Bourjan, when Ohtani stole home plate, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit three home runs, steal two bases and record 10 RBIs for the 16th time.
Per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, Thursday marked Ohtani’s 13th game this season with at least one home run and one stolen base, tying him with Rickey Henderson in 1986 for the most in MLB history.
Shohei Ohtani has already made plenty of history with the Dodgers
In addition to a 51-51 season, Ohtani did more than enough to make his first season with the Dodgers a memorable one.
When it comes to hitting certain numbers in home runs and stolen bases, Ohtani is treading deep into uncharted territory. In August, he became just the sixth player in history to hit 40-40, joining Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano and Ronald Acuna Jr., and he did it in record time. Of those players, the fastest to reach both milestones was Soriano, on Sept. 16, 2006.
And Ohtani’s 40th home run was something special: a walk-off grand slam.
Rodriguez previously held the record for most home runs and stolen bases in both categories, with 42 and 46 in 1998. Ohtani tied that season record with a 42-42 record on Shakedown Night on Aug. 28, then surpassed it two days later on Aug. 30.
Ohtani’s current home runs surpass his previous career high of 46 hit in 2021, his first MVP year, and he has already broken his previous career high in stolen bases (26, also in 2021). He currently leads the National League in home runs and is second in stolen bases behind Ellie Dela Cruz.
And, of course, Ohtani set records for both contract value ($700 million) and deferred payments ($680 million) when he signed with the Dodgers prior to this season.
Ohtani has built a career on unprecedented performance, and even after undergoing UCL surgery at the end of 2023 and missing a season of pitching, he continues to perform like MLB has never seen before.
