A remarkable season for Shohei Ohtani was somehow made even greater on Thursday as he had the greatest single-game performance in MLB history while also setting numerous records and making Los Angeles Dodgers history as well.
Ohtani went 6-for-6 against the Miami Marlins, hitting three home runs, doubling twice, driving in 10 runs, scoring four times and stealing two bases. That game made him the first ever player to reach a 50-50 season in MLB history, and when it was all said and done, he expanded on that to become the first 51-51 player as well.
In addition, Ohtani became the Dodgers single-season home run record holder when he reached 50, surpassing Shawn Green’s 49 from the 2001 season. That made Ohtani the only player in Dodgers franchise history to reach the 50 home run mark in a single season.
His three home run, two stolen base game was also the first of its kind in MLB history, and it was only the 20th time a player has reached two homers and two steals in the same game, according to Sarah Langs.
Ohtani’s 10-RBI game gave him the most for a Dodgers player during a single game in franchise history and made him the 16th player in MLB history to accomplish that. He was also became the first leadoff hitter in MLB history to drive in 10 runs during a game.
Of the 15 previous players to drive in 10 runs during g game, they combined for zero stolen bases, so Ohtani became the first player to drive in that many runs and swipe a base, which he did twice.
Ohtani tied Rickey Henderson for the single-season record of most games with a home run and stolen bases at 14. He also became the first player with at least five extra-base hits and multiple stolen bases in a single game.
According to STATS, Ohtani became the only player in MLB history to record at least one game reaching these marks across a career, not necessarily all in the same game: 10 RBI, six hits, five extra-base hits, three home runs and two stolen bases. Ohtani did it all in one game.
In addition, he was the first player to have at least five extra-base hits and multiple stolen bases in a game since at least 1901. He also became the first player with five or more hits, multiple homers and multiple stolen bases in the same game, and then he added another home run.
According to MLB.com, of the 50 times in MLB history that a player has reached 50 home runs, only 14 of them have stolen at least 10 bases, and only five of them have stolen at least 20. No player has reached higher than 24 stolen bases with at least 50 home runs, until Ohtani this season.
Ohtani became the 15th player in MLB history to have five extra-base hits in the same game, which is tied for the record. None of those other 14 players with five extra-base hit games managed to steal a base, though.
Ohtani finished the game with 17 total bases, making him the first player to record more than 11 total bases in a single game while also stealing multiple bases. No player has ever had 17 total bases in a game where they didn’t hit four home runs prior to Ohtani.
Green holds the record for total bases in a game with 19, which he did during his four-homer game during the 2002 season, but even he could not compare to the game Ohtani had.
Shohei Ohtani ends playoff drought
Perhaps most importantly for Ohtani, his performance came in the same day the Dodgers clinched their 12th consecutive playoff berth. Over his previous six seasons in MLB, Ohtani did not reach the postseason with the Los Angeles Angels.
He entered the day with the longest active streak of games played without a postseason appearance at 865. That number is now close to ending and Ohtani will get a chance to perform on baseball’s biggest stage.
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