Player becomes first in MLB to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has made Major League Baseball (MLB) history by becoming the first player in league history to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Ohtani hit three home runs and raised his steal total to 51 in the Dodgers’ 20-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday.

The win moved the Dodgers into the playoffs, a first for Ohtani.

“Honestly, I’m probably the one who’s most surprised,” the Japanese player said through an interpreter about his spectacular performance. “I have no idea where this comes from, but I’m happy that I performed well today.”

It’s been a turbulent year for Ohtani, who signed with the Dodgers in December to a 10-year, $700 million contract after playing six seasons with the local rival Angels.

He will not pitch this season as he recovers from surgery on his pitching elbow and is embroiled in a scandal involving his former friend and interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, stealing millions of dollars from him to pay off sports gambling debts.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed his players in the clubhouse as they celebrated the win and emphasized the accomplishment.

“This is a game that’s been played for over 200 years,” Roberts said. “And this is something that’s never been done before.”

Ohtani, 30, tried to focus on the team.

“I’m happy the team won,” he said, admitting that with so much attention on his 50-50 pursuit, it was “something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible.

“It is something I will cherish for a long time.”

Earlier this season, Ohtani became MLB’s all-time leader in home runs among Japanese-born players when he surpassed Hideki Matsui’s 175 with 222 home runs over the course of his career.