Shohei Ohtani inches near to unprecedented 50-50 campaign with homerun and swipe in Dodgers triumph against Cubs
The two-time AL MVP put on a fantastic show, going 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs and a walk, aiding the Los Angeles Dodgers in avoiding a series sweep with a thrilling 10-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
At the moment, Ohtani is creating history with almost every game and has surpassed his own single-season home run record of 46, set with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021. He now stands just two homers shy of tying the Dodgers' franchise record of 49, set by Shawn Green in 2001.
The closest anyone has come to the coveted 50-50 milestone of 50 homers and 50 steals were Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., who swiped 73 bases and hit 41 homers in 2023, and Alex Rodriguez, who as a member of the Seattle Mariners clocked 42 home runs and pilfered 46 bases in 1998.
According to MLB.com, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani, stating, "For him to hit the ball 118 mph at that angle, it's usually a double. But for Shohei, it's a home run. He's playing outstanding baseball. You can see he's carrying us big time."
Ohtani's teammate, Max Muncy, echoed Roberts' sentiments, saying, "He's incredible. Every night, I feel like he does something we've never seen before. Tonight, he hits a ball 118 [mph]. I feel sorry for the fan who tried to catch it. Everything he does is so impressive, so it's fun to be a part of it."
The Cubs started off strong, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Dodgers countered with an explosive bottom of the first, scoring five runs to flip the script.
Ohtani was up first, smashing a home run to center-right field. Two outs later, Tommy Edman added to the Dodgers' lead with a two-run shot to left field. Will Smith, up next, blasted a nearly identical homer, and Muncy completed the onslaught with one of his own.
The Dodgers became the seventh team in their history to hit four homers in a single inning, and Muncy's home run made them the first team to achieve back-to-back-to-back home runs in the first inning of multiple games in a single season since the Braves in 1994.
Ohtani swiped a base in the second, and Seiya Suzuki's solo shot in the third reduced the Dodgers' lead to two. However, Ohtani answered with a two-run single to extend the lead to 7-3.
The Cubs staged a comeback in the fifth, scoring three runs to tie the game at 7-7, but the Dodgers rebounded with a run from Gavin Lux in the seventh and another two-run bomb from Edman in the eighth, marking his second consecutive two-homer game in the center field position.
Unable to rally back from a 10-7 deficit, the Cubs managed only Isaac Paredes' sacrifice fly in the ninth.
With 16 regular-season games left, Ohtani needs to hit three more home runs and steal two bases to achieve the 50-50 milestone, beginning his quest on Friday against the Braves.
In light of Ohtani's impressive performance, many are now discussing the potential for a hybrid player dominating both the sports of baseball and baseball's minor league affiliate, softball.
Similarly, after witnessing Ohtani's power at the plate, it's clear that 'sport' is not just a casual pastime for him, but a passion fueled by years of dedicated training and unwavering determination.
