MIAMI — Back in the building that hosted his finest baseball moment, Shohei Ohtani inched closer to history on Tuesday night.
The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar hit the 48th home run of his unprecedented campaign, turning around a sweeper from Miami Marlins right-hander Darren McCaughan and launching it into the upper deck at loanDepot Park in the third inning of an eventual 11-9 loss. Ohtani now sits just two home runs and two stolen bases away from becoming the first player to achieve 50-50 in the sport’s history.
The Dodgers have 11 games remaining on their regular season schedule. The likelihood of Ohtani reaching 50-50 improved with Tuesday’s two-run shot.
48/48 FOR SHOHEI OHTANI! pic.twitter.com/QoXCvhkrHI
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 17, 2024
Ohtani did not homer or steal a base during the Dodgers’ four-game road set in Atlanta, his longest stretch without either since early June. While Ohtani said accomplishing the feat was not causing any added pressure, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the chase was “front of mind” for Ohtani.
“I do feel that’s somewhat natural,” Roberts said. “I think he just wants to get it over with, but with the fact that he’s still trying to compete and help us win baseball games.”
Ohtani pointed to a tick in his swing mechanics that have left him “just one little thing away from feeling good” at the plate during this stretch on the brink of history, he said through interpreter Will Ireton.
The end of the mini-drought occurred during Ohtani’s first appearance in Miami since March 2023, when he and current Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto were part of the Samurai Japan side that toppled a set of MLB superstars in beating the United States in the finale of the World Baseball Classic.
He provided that night’s seminal moment, emerging from the bullpen to record the final three outs from the mound, striking out then-teammate Mike Trout to end the night. To this point, it’s the biggest scene of Ohtani on the grand stage, at least before he makes his likely postseason debut with the Dodgers next month.
Ohtani, a two-time MVP now chasing his first such award in the National League, entered Tuesday batting .288 with a .982 OPS, the third-highest mark among qualified major leaguers. He was also tied for the third-most RBIs with 108, and he sat second in the National League with 6.9 wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.
The two-way star has authored his offensive masterpiece in a year in which he likely won’t throw a single pitch because of a second major elbow ligament reconstruction. That still didn’t impede him from signing a record-setting free-agent contract worth $700 million last offseason. He has set a career high in home runs and is now within one homer of Shawn Green’s single-season franchise record of 49 home runs set in 2001.
Despite not being able to do what makes him baseball’s most unique star, Ohtani has managed to put together a unicorn season. The latest step was a mammoth shot.
What’s next for Ohtani beyond that remains a source of intrigue. Roberts left the door open for Ohtani to contribute on the mound if the Dodgers make a deep run in October, while acknowledging the possibility is still quite remote. The right-hander has thrown six bullpen sessions thus far and remains weeks away from the club even discussing him facing hitters in simulated games.
Ohtani said Tuesday he has not yet discussed a potential pitching plan for October with the Dodgers’ staff, though they are scheduled to meet when the team returns to Los Angeles.
Does he think he could do it?
“I’m not sure,” he said with a smirk.
(Photo: Sam Navarro / Getty Images)
