Participant turns into first in MLB to file 50 house runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani has made Main League Baseball (MLB) historical past by changing into the primary participant within the league’s historical past to file 50 house runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Ohtani made three house runs and lifted his tally of steals to 51 within the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday.
The win despatched the Dodgers into the playoffs, a primary for Ohtani.
“To be sincere, I’m the one most likely most shocked,” the Japanese participant stated by way of a translator of his spectacular efficiency. “I do not know the place this got here from, however I’m glad I carried out nicely right this moment.”
It has been an eventful 12 months for Ohtani who joined the Dodgers in December on a 10-year, $700m contract after spending six seasons with the crosstown rival Angels.
He’s not pitching this season as he recovers from reconstructive surgical procedure on his throwing elbow and has additionally endured a scandal wherein his former good friend and interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, stole hundreds of thousands of {dollars} from him to repay sports activities playing money owed.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts, addressing his gamers within the clubhouse as they celebrated the victory, famous the achievement.
“It is a sport that has been performed for over 200 years,” Roberts stated. “And that is one thing that has by no means been performed.”
Ohtani, 30, tried to maintain the give attention to the crew.
“I’m glad that the crew received,” he stated, admitting that with a lot consideration centered on his 50-50 pursuit, it “was one thing I wished to recover from as rapidly as attainable.
“It’s one thing that I’m going to cherish for a really very long time.”
Earlier this season, Ohtani grew to become the MLB’s all-time chief in house runs amongst Japanese-born gamers when he surpassed the 175 of Hideki Matsui with 222 house runs over the course of his profession.