Friday evening Shohei Ohtani joined considered one of baseball’s — if not all of sports activities — most unique golf equipment.
However as is commonly the case with one of many sport’s brightest stars, he did so in dramatic trend.
Ohtani got here to the plate within the backside of the ninth inning Friday evening with the bases loaded in a tie recreation between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. On the primary pitch of the at-bat Ohtani noticed an 84-mph slider down and away from Colin Poche, and Ohtani went right down to get it, placing himself within the file books and the Dodgers within the win column:
Ohtani’s walk-off grand slam was his fortieth dwelling run of the season, and having swiped second base earlier within the recreation for his fortieth steal of the season, that made the famous person simply the sixth participant in MLB historical past to affix the honored 40-40 membership. This additionally marks the second 12 months in a row {that a} participant has joined the 40-40 membership as final 12 months Ronald Acuña Jr. turned the fifth member, and simply the primary participant ever to submit a 40-70 12 months as he completed the 12 months with 41 dwelling runs and 73 stolen bases.
Now Ohtani has the remainder of the season to do one thing even larger: Turn out to be the founding member of the 50-50 membership.
No participant has ever completed the season with each 50 dwelling runs and 50 stolen bases, however with Friday evening’s efficiency, Ohtani is now exactly on pace to finish the year with 50 dwelling runs, and 50 steals.
As well as, Ohtani turned the quickest participant ever to achieve the 40-40 mark. In 2006 Alfonso Soriano wanted 147 video games to affix the 40-40 membership, however Friday evening’s recreation was Ohtani’s 126th recreation of the season.
We’re, with out query, witnessing one thing particular.
