LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has time to make extra historical past this season.
The Japanese celebrity hit a two-out grand slam within the ninth inning for his fortieth homer after earlier stealing his fortieth base, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night time.
Ohtani achieved the feat in his 126th recreation and the workforce’s 129th, the quickest in main league historical past and the sixth participant ever to succeed in 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. He is also the primary Dodgers participant to take action.
“It’s actually extra concerning the successful,” Ohtani mentioned by way of an interpreter. “Clearly the file is a part of the method, however I believe an important factor is about successful the sport.”
No participant has ever hit 50 homers and stolen 50 bases in a season.
With simply over a month remaining within the common season and the Dodgers main the NL West, Ohtani might add to his lore.
“I believe it’s doable,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “I hope he continues to play to win baseball video games and take good at-bats and take the walks once they’re given to him. However yeah, in the event that they throw him strikes, something’s doable with Shohei.”
Ohtani broke the earlier mark set by Alfonso Soriano in Sport 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006. Soriano had 46 homers — probably the most of anybody within the unique membership — and 41 stolen bases that 12 months.
Apart from Soriano, Ohtani joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco within the 40-40 membership. Acuña owns the stolen base file with 73 final 12 months, when he additionally hit 41 homers.
It was the primary walk-off homer and third grand slam of Ohtani’s profession.
“It’s simply storybook — 40-40 on the identical night time,” Roberts mentioned. “I don’t know if that’s ever been executed after which he wins it with a grand slam. He’s undoubtedly recognized for the dramatics and this was one thing I’ll keep in mind for a very long time.”
It is Ohtani’s third season with 40 or extra homers, having achieved the mark with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023.
New York Yankees star Aaron Decide leads the majors with 49 homers. He’s favored to win AL MVP honors, with Ohtani predicted to do the identical within the NL.
Ohtani’s 389-foot shot snapped a 3-3 tie. Rays heart fielder Jose Siri gave chase and the ball bounced again onto the sphere. He then threw it into the stands, so Ohtani didn’t find yourself with the souvenir, in accordance with Ohtani’s interpreter, Will Ireton.
Ohtani took a curtain name as the group of 45,556 cheered. Teammates Miguel Rojas and Teoscar Hernández soaked him with water.
“It means an amazing quantity for me to have the ability to do that in entrance of the house crowd,” Ohtani mentioned.
Within the fourth inning, Ohtani reached on an infield single main off and stole second throughout Freddie Freeman’s at-bat. He is the primary Dodgers participant since Dee Gordon in 2014 to swipe that many bases in a season. Gordon completed with 64.
Ohtani by no means made the postseason in his six seasons with the Angels, however he finds himself in a pennant race with the Dodgers, who held a four-game lead within the NL West over the Diamondback.
“The No. 1 purpose is to get to the postseason and win the World Sequence,” he mentioned.
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