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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is the first player to join the 50/50 club
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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is the first player to join the 50/50 club



CNN

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani wrote his name into Major League Baseball history by becoming the first member of the 50-50 club in a game against the Miami Marlins on Thursday.

A 50-50 season consists of 50+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases in a single season.

Ohtani, the fastest player to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, hit his 50th home run of the season in the seventh inning after stealing his 50th and 51st bases earlier in the game.

The Japanese two-way sensation is 6-for-6 with 10 RBI in the game, giving the Dodgers a 14-3 lead with his historic home run. Incredibly, he homered again in his next at-bat in the 9th inning, giving him three runs for the game. The Japanese superstar went into the record books in surreal fashion, hitting two doubles, a single, three home runs and stealing a base – one of the most prolific offensive performances of the season by a player.

It was Ohtani’s first career three-home run game and his first game with 10 RBIs.

The Dodgers eventually won the game 20-4 against Miami, securing a spot in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run that scored Andy Pages during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Those who have come closest to the 50-50 mark are Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, who stole 73 bases and hit 41 home runs in 2023, and Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 home runs and stole 46 bases as a member of the Seattle Mariners in 1998.

Ohtani excelled for six seasons with the Angels as a slugger and pitcher, twice winning the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award. Last offseason, he signed a historic $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers.

The historic feat comes after Ohtani endured a personally rocky start to his time in Los Angeles. His longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty in June to fraud and tax charges for allegedly stealing nearly $17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger to pay off gambling debts, a revelation that came just hours after Ohtani debuted in a Dodgers uniform during the season opener in South Korea.

Speculation swirled around Ohtani for weeks following the revelation of Mizuhara’s gambling, with questions raised about what the superstar knew and when he knew it. Ohtani—and Mizuhara himself—maintained that he knew nothing about his friend and interpreter’s gambling addiction and theft. When Mizuhara pleaded guilty, Ohtani said he had found closure on the tragic revelation.

“This has been a uniquely challenging time, so I am especially grateful to my support team — my family, agent, agency, attorneys and advisors, along with the entire Dodger organization, who have shown endless support throughout this process. It is time to close this chapter, move on and remain focused on playing and winning games,” he said in a statement.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates his 50th home run of the season during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The Japanese star is a contender for the NL MVP award despite not pitching this season due to offseason elbow surgery. He has 50 home runs and a .293 batting average this season while helping the Dodgers to a 91-62 record, good for first place in the NL West division.

With the win against Miami, the Dodgers are assured of a playoff spot and Ohtani gets his first chance to shine in October. During his time as an Angel, Ohtani’s teams have never reached the postseason.

This is a current story and is being updated.