Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani became the charter member of the 50-50 club. He hit his 49th, 50th, and 51st home runs of the season, and also stole his 50th and 51st bases of the season, in a blowout win over the Miami Marlins (LA 20, MIA 4). No player had ever hit 50 homers and stolen 50 bases in the same season until Ohtani.
All told, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with two doubles, three home runs, two stolen bases, and 10 RBI in Thursday’s game. It is the latest masterpiece in Ohtani’s Hall of Fame career — you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think Ohtani is a first ballot Hall of Famer — and one of the greatest performances in baseball history. Ohtani is simply remarkable.
Here now we are going to rank the 10 greatest games in Ohtani’s career based mostly on vibes and all-around excellence.
1. Sept. 19, 2024: The 50-50 club
Thursday was, quite possibly, the greatest single-game performance in baseball history. Ohtani went 6 for 6 with two doubles, three homers, two stolen bases, and 10 RBI against the Marlins to join the 50-50 club. The 51-51 club, really.
The Dodgers clinched a postseason berth with Thursday’s win. Ohtani will get to play October baseball for the first time ever this year, giving him a chance to watch is already a legendary career, truly.
2. March 21, 2023: World Baseball Classic clincher
Something about loanDepot park in Miami brings out the best in Ohtani. He joined the 50-50 club there Thursday, and, last year, Ohtani struck out longtime Angels teammate Mike Trout to clinch the World Baseball Classic championship for Japan. What a thrilling at-bat too. Two all-world talents going toe-to-toe for their countries:
Ohtani was named World Baseball Classic MVP for his effort. He hit .435/.606/.739 with four doubles, a home run, and 10 walks in the tournament while also pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings. Ohtani was the best hitter and the best pitcher in the WBC.
3. July 27, 2023: Two-way doubleheader
Two games and two incredible performances in one day. In the first game of a doubleheader against the Tigers at Comerica Park, Ohtani struck out eight in a one-hit shutout. In the second game he went 2 for 3 with two home runs. Ohtani became the first player ever to throw a shutout in one game of a doubleheader and hit a home run in the other. That is not a bad day at the ballpark.
Ohtani’s doubleheader performance came as trade rumors were swirling at the deadline. The Angels eventually shot those down — GM Perry Minasian came out and explicitly said Ohtani would not be traded — and Ohtani finished out what would be his final season in Anaheim.
4. & 5. June 21-22, 2022: Career highs on back-to-back days
We’re cheating here and including two games, but my goodness, what performances on back-to-back days. On June 21, Ohtani went 3 for 4 with two home runs and 8 RBI against the Royals at Angel Stadium. A day later he struck out 13 and held the Royals to two hits and one walk in eight shutout innings. One day he set a career high in RBI as a hitter and the next a career high in strikeouts as a pitcher. Brilliance at the plate and brilliance on the mound on back-to-back days.
6. Sept. 29, 2022: Near no-hitter
In his second-to-last start in 2022, Ohtani took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Athletics at Angel Stadium. He lost it on a Conner Capel single with two outs in the eighth inning. Ohtani fell four outs short of the no-hitter.
Ohtani finished the game with two hits and one walk allowed in eight shutout innings. He struck out 10. It is the deepest into a game Ohtani has ever taken a no-hitter.
7. Aug. 23, 2024: Ohtani joins 40-40 club in grand style
Before you can go 50-50, you must go 40-40, and Ohtani joined the 40-40 club in grand fashion. On Aug. 23, he stole his 40th base of the season in the fourth inning, then hit a walk-off grand slam for his 40th home run. The man has a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t he?
Ohtani reached 40-40 in only 129 team games, by far the fewest in history. No one else in the 40-40 club got there in fewer than 153 team games.
8. June 13, 2019: Ohtani hits for the cycle
A home run in the first inning, a double in the third inning, a triple in the fifth inning, and a single in the seventh inning gave Ohtani the cycle at Tropicana Field. That made his the first Japanese-born player to hit for the cycle. “I’m simply very happy that I was able to accomplish this. There have been so many other great Japanese players that have come before me. Being the first one to accomplish it, I’m really happy, and it’s going to lead to a lot of confidence down the road,” Ohtani said afterward (via MLB.com).
9. July 13, 2021: All-Star Game
You know you’re good when they rewrite the rules to accommodate you. In 2021, Ohtani was voted into the All-Star Game as the AL’s starting DH, and he was also selected as the league’s starting pitcher. MLB changed the rules so Ohtani could remain in the All-Star Game as the DH after exiting as the pitcher. That rule was later made official for regular-season games. Previously, Ohtani would have to leave the game as a hitter once he was removed as a pitcher. Ohtani threw a scoreless first inning to begin the 2021 All-Star Game at Coors Field, and also got two at-bats as the AL’s leadoff hitter.
10. April 3, 2018: Home debut
The Angels signed Ohtani during the 2017-18 offseason and he had a rough spring training in 2018, rough enough that there was some speculation they might have to send him to the minors for more seasoning. That didn’t happen, of course. Ohtani made his home debut at Angel Stadium on April 3 and, naturally, hit a home run in his first at-bat.
Ohtani went on to hit .285/.361/.564 with 22 home runs, and throw 51 2/3 innings with a 3.31 ERA and 63 strikeouts, that season. It earned him AL Rookie of the Year honors.
