The Los Angeles Dodgers personal a chunk of baseball historical past as Shohei Ohtani grew to become the sixth individual to hit 40 house runs and steal 40 bases on Friday night time towards the Tampa Bay Rays.
Ohtani additionally grew to become the primary Dodgers participant to perform the uncommon feat.
Coming into Friday night time’s recreation, Ohtani had 39 house runs and 39 stolen bases. That each one modified within the ninth inning. Ohtani hit a walk-off grand slam to assist the Dodgers beat the Rays by a rating of 7-3.
What Ohtani has been in a position to accomplish in his first season with the Dodgers has been unbelievable. He has joined Ronald Acuña Jr., Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and Jose Canseco as a few of Main League Baseball’s elite.
He has additionally accomplished it faster than any of his predecessors.
Canseco stole his fortieth base on Sept. 23, 1998. Bonds reached 40 steals on Sept. 27, 1996. Rodriguez hit his fortieth house run on Sept. 19, 1998. Soriano stole his fortieth base on Sept. 16, 2006. And Acuña slugged his fortieth homer on Sept. 22, 2023.
Coming into the nine-game homestand, Ohtani was feeling a bit of “off.”
Ohtani has hit .223 (27-for-121) in his previous 30 video games by way of Sunday, a hunch that has intensified not too long ago. He’s 12-for-69 (.174) in August and 6 for his final 39 (.154) by way of Sunday.
“I feel having the appropriate posture once I’m wanting on the pitcher is one thing that’s actually vital. I really feel prefer it’s a bit of off,” he mentioned.
Supervisor Dave Roberts observed one thing comparable.
“I feel the plate self-discipline is simply not what it’s when he’s proper. His stroll share, I’m certain, within the final three weeks is significantly down,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “I feel the swing choices aren’t pretty much as good as they’ve been.
“At instances, I feel he’s out entrance. At instances I feel he’s getting beat a bit of bit. He could be a bit of bit in between. … He’s shedding his basis, his base, his connection to the bottom. That’s by no means an excellent signal for a hitter. The place you’re extra into the bottom, I feel that’s when all hitters are greatest. I do assume there’s a bit of little bit of, on ice skates a bit of bit greater than he sometimes is.”
Ohtani eclipsed 40 house runs final season with the Los Angeles Angels and he completed with 44. He solely completed with 20 stolen baggage however he was 10-5 on the mound with a 3.14 earned run common.
His career-high season for each homers and stolen bases was in 2021 when he had 46 and 26. He now stands alone in Dodgers historical past.
Picture Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities
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