Shohei Ohtani News: Dodgers Star is Halfway to a 50-50 Season
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hit his 49th home run and stole his 50th base on Thursday against the Miami Marlins, bringing him closer to the first 50-50 season in Major League Baseball history.
Ohtani stole third base in the first inning after leading off the game with a double against Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera.
Although he appeared to slide in behind the throw from catcher Nick Fortes, third baseman Connor Norby did not apply the tag in time.
The stolen base did more than pad Ohtani’s stats. It put him in position to score when the next batter, Will Smith, hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score Ohtani and give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.
In the sixth inning, Ohtani hit a two-run home run deep into the right field seats, his 49th of the season.
That tied Shawn Green’s mark for the most home runs in a single season ever by a Dodgers player.
Among the 14 Dodgers who have stolen 50 bases in a season, Davey Lopes held the previous record for the most home runs, with 10 in 1974.
In 2007, Juan Pierre stole 64 bases for Los Angeles without hitting a home run.
“Hitting 50 home runs, that’s 50 less times you’ve got to do anything on the bases,” Pierre recently told The Athletic. He added with a laugh, “You almost get jealous, like how could you be that fast and then hit the ball 500 feet? It’s just not fair, the things he’s doing. He’s literally changing the game.”
Prior to the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed Ohtani’s aggressive approach to stealing bases as the season progressed.
“I do see him being more aggressive in the second half,” Roberts said. “I think he realized that he was on track to have a really special season and what could make it a little bit more special and unique is adding some more stolen bases.”
“I think Shohei’s realized how good of a base stealer he has become, or can become,” Roberts said. “I think he likes the challenge of studying the pitchers, learning their tendencies.”
Roberts said Ohtani’s ability to get good jumps has become his greatest attribute as a base-stealer. But it took some work.
“I don’t think in years past, watching him, I don’t think he was a great base stealer,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he got great jumps. But now when I watch him, especially from the third-base dugout at home where I have a good visual of the pitcher and the runner, his jumps are on point.”
Ohtani also holds the Dodgers’ franchise record for the most stolen bases in a single season by a Japanese-born player. The man whose record he broke? Roberts.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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