[Baseball Player Swinging Bat at Ball. Photo Credit to FREERANGE]

On 19th September 2024, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers etched his name in Major League Baseball (MLB) history by becoming the first player to join the prestigious 50-50 club.

The feat occurred during a game against the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.

The title “50-50 club” is given to the player who not only hits 50 home runs but also steals 50 bases in a single season, and Shohei Ohtani is the first ever major league player to earn such a title.

In the game against the Marlins, Ohtani, serving as the designated hitter, delivered an exceptional performance.

He went 6-for-6 at the plate, driving in 10 runs and scoring 4, including 3 home runs and 2 stolen bases.

Ohtani, who needed two more home runs and one more base steal for the record, wasted no time.

He stole third base in the first inning after hitting a double off Marlin’s starter Edward Cabrera.

In the second inning, he added an RBI single to right field.

After recording his 51st stolen base of the season, Ohtani hit a two-run home run off the relief pitcher George Soriano on the second pitch, a 137.4 km/h slider, in the top of the sixth inning.

His 49th home run widened the score gap to 7-3, leaving him just one home run shy of setting a historic record.

His 50th home run came in the seventh inning against Mike Bauman, which solidified his place in baseball lore.

Despite the Dodgers’ victory being almost guaranteed with the score of 12-3, Ohtani did not lose focus.

Taking a deep breath, Ohtani hit his 50th home run of the season on the fourth pitch (a 143.4 km/h knuckle curveball) over the left-field fence.

As Ohtani rounded the bases, the stadium erupted with chants of “M-V-P,” while fans scrambled to capture the moment on their phones.

However, his journey to the historical record did not end there.

In the 9th inning, with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd base, Ohtani hit Brujan’s 109.9km/h slow fastball over the right fence for his 51st home run.

The Dodgers clinched their 12th consecutive postseason berth on this historic evening, adding to the celebration.

Ohtani, who made his major league debut in 2018 as a two-way player, has focused solely on batting this season due to an elbow ligament injury.

Despite this setback, he has managed to set a record unmatched in MLB, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), or Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) history.

With the season winding down, baseball fans all around the world are anticipating the possibility of Shohei Ohtani achieving at least a 55-55 club status by the end of the season, given his incredible pace of steals and home runs.