Shohei Ohtani made baseball history with a remarkable performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night. Ohtani hit a game-winning grand slam in the ninth inning, marking his 40th home run of the season, after earlier stealing his 40th base. This achievement made him the fastest player in MLB history and only the sixth player ever to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. Notably, Ohtani is the first Dodger to accomplish this feat.
The Japanese star surpassed the previous record held by Alfonso Soriano, who achieved the milestone in Game 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006, whereas Ohtani reached it in the Dodgers’ 129th game. Ohtani received a standing ovation from the crowd of 45,556 fans and was celebrated by his teammates on the field.
The game-changing moment came after Will Smith was hit by a pitch and Tommy Edman singled, followed by a sacrifice bunt by Miguel Rojas. Ohtani then smashed a 389-foot grand slam to center field off pitcher Colin Poche, securing the 7-3 victory for the Dodgers over the Tampa Bay Rays.
In terms of player injuries, Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who has been dealing with elbow issues, is expected to start ramping up his activities soon. Additionally, pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to have a bullpen session on Monday and begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday.
Looking ahead, the Rays’ RHP Taj Bradley, a Los Angeles native, will make his first career start against the Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will send LHP Clayton Kershaw, who recently delivered an impressive performance in his last outing against the Cardinals, to the mound.
This historic night in baseball highlights Ohtani’s exceptional talent and solidifies his place as a standout player in the MLB.