Shohei Ohtani continued his historic season on Thursday night, becoming the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.
In a remarkable 6-for-6 performance against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani not only reached the 50-50 milestone but added to his already impressive stat line with three home runs, two doubles, two steals, four runs, and 10 RBIs.
With this, his best performance of an already MVP-level season, Ohtani is likely the favorite to win his third career MVP award. Putting him in even more rarified air as one of only two players to win the award in both leagues, joining Frank Robinson.
Ohtani's historic season is even more remarkable, considering he's kept his name at the top of the league without pitching - the second half of his gameplay that made him a global sensation. After undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of last season, his focus on hitting and speed has clearly paid off.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
L.A. Times baseball writer, Bill Shaikin tells KNX News, "For so many years with the Angels, we talked about the combination of hitting and pitching. Nobody had done that since Babe Ruth 100 years ago. And Shohei has done it for longer than Babe Ruth ever did both.
He gets to the Dodgers, first year, signs the richest contract in North American sports history. Pressure? No, he delivered; he gave you something that nobody else has ever seen before."
On top of making MLB history, Ohtani is also the first Dodger to hit 50 home runs in a single season.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
