Shohei Ohtani, nicknamed Showtime, is largely considered one of the greatest active players in Major League Baseball, and it’s easy to see why.
To say Ohtani has dominated Major League Baseball since his arrival in 2018 would be an understatement. The Japanese designated hitter and pitcher has performed at an exceedingly high level on both sides of the ball, winning the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023, and is this year’s favorite for the NL MVP.
But following an elbow injury last year that required Tommy John surgery and signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency, many wondered if Ohtani would be able to produce at the same level again. Ohtani made a name for himself as one of the best two-way players at the highest level, but without his pitching abilities and the presence of star players Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts on the roster, would he be the same Showtime in Dodger blue? After all, he would be showcasing only half of his talents.
Following last Thursday’s game against the Miami Marlins, it’s safe to say Showtime put these doubts to rest. In the top of the seventh inning, Ohtani cracked a changeup off Marlins relief pitcher Mike Baumann into the left field bullpen. The play was already impressive, but bearing the rest of Ohtani’s 2024 campaign in mind, it became almost unbelievable.
The hit was the 50th home run of Ohtani’s 2024 season. Coupled with his 51 stolen bases, this makes him the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to ever record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season (though later in the game he knocked off another home run, placing him at 51–51).
Many have come close to the 50–50 club, but none have ever entered besides Ohtani. Legendary New York Yankees third-baseman Alex Rodriguez and second-baseman Alfonso Soriano came close but fell short, with 46–42 and 46–41 respectively. With this accomplishment, Ohtani has definitely made his case for the greatest offensive baseball player of all time.
After the 50th home run, the Dodger crowd in Miami rose to their feet and regaled Ohtani with a well deserved standing ovation. Ohtani, however, returned to the dugout, and in his typical nonchalant fashion, shrugged his shoulders as if to suggest that he was just as astonished by his performance.
Dodgers fans were not the only people to shower Ohtani with praise, with news of his joining the 50–50 reaching across the world back to his home country of Japan. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi stated during a press conference that the Japanese government “would like to congratulate [Ohtani] from the bottom of [their] heart,” and that they “sincerely hope Mr. Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further.”
Even the ball Ohtani hit for his 50th home run is setting records. The auction to purchase the memorabilia is set to start at half a million dollars, but there is an option to directly purchase the item at $4.5 million dollars. If someone were to buy the ball, it would dwarf the previously most expensive home run ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire by a whopping $1.5 million.
Humility has long been a staple of Ohtani’s personality. Despite all the celebrity his 50–50 accolade has brought him, he continues to remain modest and down to earth. In a post-game interview with CNN, Ohtani stated, “To be honest, I’m the one probably most surprised [by my reaching the 50–50 mark]. I have no idea where this came from but I’m glad that I performed well today.”
Ohtani’s incredible season is far from over. With a 20–4 blowout victory against the Marlins, the Dodgers clinched a playoff berth. This will be the first trip to the playoffs of Ohtani’s career, and it will be must-watch baseball to see if Showtime will make his way to the World Series.
