LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani keeps showing a flair for the dramatic during his historic first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Japanese superstar became the only player in major league history with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, doing so with a slew of firsts.
Ohtani had the first three-homer game of his career — all coming after the sixth inning — his first six-hit game and a franchise and career-record 10 RBIs in Miami on Thursday. No one in MLB history has done that before.
He finished the night with 51 homers and 51 steals.
“Going for a home run is not the ideal way for me to hit a home run, so I try to focus on quality at-bats,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
He also stole two bases and nearly hit for the cycle, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch his second double into a triple while showing off his rare combination of speed and power.
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Ohtani resumes trying to top himself on Friday at Dodger Stadium against the Colorado Rockies. His previous bests were 46 homers and 26 stolen bases in 2021, when he won the first of his two American League Most Valuable Player awards while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
