One of the greatest seasons in MLB history was punctuated with one of the game’s most productive days and when it was over, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers shrugged and said the job is far from finished.
Putting an emphatic spin on memorable moments has become Ohtani’s signature. On Thursday, he dotted the “i” and crossed the “t” with a flourish.
Ohtani did not just finish off the first 50-homer, 50-steal season in major league history, he did it with the kind of game that rarely has been seen. And crunching the numbers just right shows that actually, it never has been accomplished.
If you are trying to find the last six-hit game that included three home runs, five extra base-hits, two stolen bases and 10 RBIs, just stop. The effort will be futile. Ohtani is one of a kind in so many ways.
The 16th double-digit RBI game in history — during Thursday’s 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins — had so much to savor. It was a buffet of only the finest foods.
Ohtani not only tied Shawn Green’s Dodgers record of 49 home runs in a season, he roared past it with two more rocket shots into the upper deck. His 10 RBIs set a franchise single-game record.
And if all of that wasn’t enough, the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot, which will send Ohtani into the postseason for the first time in his career.
“Obviously I changed team this year and my goal has always been to make it to the playoffs,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s something I have really worked hard at and I’m really happy to have been able to make it and now my goal is to perform well in playoff situations.”
Even higher stakes? Even more pressure? Bring it on.
Delivering in the spotlight with a dynamic touch has been Ohtani’s thing. He might not be pitching this season so he went a different route to delver on the start of a 10-year, $700 million contract.
When Ohtani became the sixth player ever to reach the 40-40 mark on Aug. 23, he did it with a game-ending grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays. When the Dodgers handed out Ohtani bobbleheads on Aug. 28, he led off the game with a home run.
It was no wonder that when his 50-50 opportunity was complete, Ohtani showed as much relief as triumph. He said, truth be told, that he was striving to get the historic milestones over as soon as possible.
The anticipation grew with each passing day and Ohtani was only reminded of it in every trip to the batter's box when the home-plate umpire would switch to completely different baseballs that could be identified if they went over the wall and into the hands of a fan.
The urgency was palpable as the Dodgers have struggled to shake off the relentless San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks in the second half. And the burden to perform has only been heightened with conjecture that Ohtani’s season might not match up in the MVP race to the New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor because he doesn’t play in the field.
MVP decided
Consider that MVP race over now. Ohtani’s third top-player award, and first as a member of the National League is on its way. It will also be the first MVP for a primary designated hitter, in a feat that of course Ohtani would be able to accomplish.
Manager Dave Roberts had said on multiple occasions that he wished the 50-50 moment would come at home. Ohtani didn’t feel like waiting.
Ohtani reached 50 stolen bases when he swiped third base in the first inning after leading off the game with a double. He added another steal in the second inning.
He hit his 49th home run of the season, to tie Green’s mark, in the sixth. And when Ohtani sent a ball soaring toward the upper deck in the seventh for his 50th home run, he shouted in triumph toward the Dodgers’ dugout. Hugs and handshakes followed after he rounded the bases.
Mookie Betts said Ohtani’s rare burst of emotion likely came because he was “feeling sexy,” over owning the day.
When Ohtani’s third home run of the game also screamed into the upper deck at 113.6 mph off the bat, he was subdued. Call it exhaustion, although the placid reaction was really because the homer came on a 68.3 mph pitch from infielder Vidal Brujan, who was called upon for mop-up duty.
Ohtani might be relentless but he’s not vicious. He even knows how to straddle fine lines.
When the Dodgers face the Colorado Rockies on Friday to open the final homestand of the season, Ohtani will be celebrated in style. The fans will be able to roar their approval to make up for the fact that the Dodgers only had a modest champagne toast after Thursday’s game.
There have been times this season when Ohtani has appeared to try too hard, when his swing got too big and his desire to deliver pulled him out of his oversized game. But he also knows how to get himself on track from at-bat to a-bat and even from pitch to pitch.
The Dodgers will count on that measured approach as October officially is set to arrive. Ohtani says the best way to hit a home run is to not try so hard, a concept the Marlins might dispute.
The rest of the way, Ohtani says that quality at-bats will be the key. He wants to make himself a pest in the batter’s box. He’s been doing it in one-of-a-kind fashion so far.
