Shohei Ohtani is on the brink of history … as the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar just stole base number 50 (and 51) on the season — and the slugger now needs just two more home runs to become the first-ever 50/50 player in Major League Baseball history!
Ohtani didn’t waste much time. The moment went down in the top of the first inning of the Dodgers’ matinee road game against the Miami Marlins. With Shohei on second and teammate Freddie Freeman on first, the two executed a double steal. The catcher’s throw beat Ohtani to the bag … but the third baseman couldn’t get the tag down in time.
Ohtani has stolen 50 bags! He needs just two homers to me the first 50/50 player ever pic.twitter.com/81ptl70vtQ
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 19, 2024
@TalkinBaseball_
Shortly after the inning wrapped up, the Marlins’ grounds crew went and scooped up the historic base, and removed it from the field. Whether it’s going to Ohtani’s personal collection or Cooperstown remains unclear.
The Japanese standout had a pretty chill reaction … but it’s hard to ignore the incredible season he had in year one with the Dodgers. In 149 games this year, Ohtani has a .287 batting average, a .978 OPS and 110 RBIs, in addition to all the long balls.
And, this is from a player coming off Tommy John surgery, which kept him as the Dodgers’ full-time DH this season after signing a $700 million contract.
Now, he’s just two dingers away from making history — and with the pace he is on — he’s likely to set the record sooner rather than later.
The 30-year-old DH will have the chance to hit the historic dingers in front of the L.A. faithful (assuming he doesn’t hit two today) … as the team returns home for a six-game homestand against the Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres.