Shohei Ohtani created history in baseball as he became the first player to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in just a single season. Ohtani achieved this feat in style, as the Los Angeles Dodgers had one of the best victories with a 20-4 score against the Miami Marlins.
Right after breaking the record, Shohei Ohtani did another great thing to surprise his fans, he also showcased his bilingual skills to the fans. Ohtani gave his speech in English to the media in the dugout postgame, looking excited for the playoffs.
"It's just my day, and then we win and now we clinch the postseason, so keep going," Ohtani said.
This victory has secured the place for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs, and Ohtani has been a great reason behind the success of the team. Ohtani hit three home runs and even lifted his steals record to 51 in the victory against the Miami Marlins this Thursday.
Earlier this season, Shohei Ohtani also took the lead among the Japanese players in hitting the most home runs, with a total of 222 homers throughout his career. He has been able to surpass the 175 home runs hit by Hideki Matsui before him.
Dave Roberts reacts to Shohei Ohtani breaking record in MLB history
Shohei Ohtani's success has taken Friday morning's newspapers and social media by storm in Japan. There were special editions of newspapers printed out to celebrate the feat achieved by Ohtani, and it even reached Ohtani's hometown, the northern Iwati region.
The Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts always believed in the skills of their designated hitter, and he was content with the team's victory and accepted that it was a special day for the team. He even stated that he always knew the day when Ohtani makes the 50-50 would be coming sooner than later.
"This is a game that has been played for over 200 years," Roberts said. "And this is something that has never been done."
"I’m glad that the team won,” he said, admitting that with so much attention focused on his 50-50 pursuit, it “was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible. It’s something that I’m going to cherish for a very long time."
Ohtani stole the third base in the first inning and completed the first part of the record, then he hit the 49th home run in the sixth inning. After this, in the next inning, he completed the 50-50 record and led his team to the playoffs with style.