MIAMI — Inside a clubhouse loaded with potential future Corridor of Famers and a number of the greatest gamers within the sport, Shohei Ohtani’s greatness nonetheless stands proud. In a sport that has been round for hundreds of years, there has by no means been a participant like Ohtani.

On Thursday afternoon, Ohtani’s legend continued to develop as he wrote the subsequent chapter of among the finest particular person offensive seasons in Main League historical past with arguably the very best single-game efficiency the game has ever seen.

In an otherworldly sport by which he stole two bases and went 6-for-6 with a career-high three homers and 10 RBIs, Ohtani proved he’s in a category of his personal as soon as once more, turning into the primary participant to hit 50 or extra homers and steal 50 or extra bases in a single season in Main League historical past.

“Whereas Shohei Ohtani has been a groundbreaking participant for a few years, his newest feat as the primary 50/50 participant within the historical past of Main League Baseball displays not simply his wonderful power-and-speed expertise, however his character, his drive, and his dedication to all-around excellence,” Commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned in a press release.

“On behalf of Main League Baseball, I congratulate Shohei on this outstanding achievement. We’re proud that he continues to take our sport to new heights.”

“This sport has been round for a very long time, and to do one thing that’s by no means been accomplished — he’s certainly one of one,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “It couldn’t be a extra gifted participant. He couldn’t be extra humble. … It was a win for Main League Baseball.”

Simply weeks in the past, Ohtani grew to become the sixth member of the 40-40 membership on Aug. 23, doing so in model with a walk-off grand slam in opposition to the Rays. He reached that unique milestone in 126 video games, beating the earlier mark by 21 video games and placing him in place to develop into the inaugural member of the 50-50 membership.

“If I’m being sincere, it was one thing I wished to recover from as quickly as potential as a result of the balls had been being exchanged each time I used to be as much as bat, so it was one thing that I wished to recover from with,” Ohtani mentioned by interpreter Will Ireton.

“I’m simply blissful, relieved, and really respectful to my friends and everyone that got here earlier than that performed this sport of baseball.”

Because the anticipation round him grew, it was unimaginable to foretell Ohtani would make historical past with the kind of sport he put collectively on Thursday.

In his first at-bat, Ohtani simply missed hitting his forty ninth homer of the 12 months, as a substitute settling for a leadoff double. He then took off for third, recording his fiftieth stolen base of the season. He was simply getting began.

Two at-bats later, Ohtani doubled to the left-center-field hole and took off for third. Ohtani may’ve been overly aggressive, however it was clear that he knew the opportunity of the cycle was inside attain. His teammates and coaches inside the house dugout knew that Ohtani had historical past on his thoughts.

“I do not even know if it was like a reduction factor,” outfielder Mookie Betts mentioned. “I feel he was simply feeling good, feeling horny and simply knew, like, ‘I am about to do that at the moment.’ I imply, he may’ve had 4 homers at the moment. I am confused.”

Within the sixth, Ohtani hit a mammoth two-run homer to the higher deck, placing him that a lot nearer. The next inning, with first base open and two out, Marlins supervisor Skip Schumaker may’ve elected to stroll Ohtani.

As an alternative, Schumaker determined to let Mike Baumann face the two-way star. It resulted in Ohtani hitting an opposite-field homer to finish the historic achievement.

“I feel that’s a foul transfer — baseball-wise, karma-wise, baseball-God smart,” Schumaker mentioned of a possible intentional stroll in that state of affairs. “I feel out of respect for the sport, we’re going to go after him. He hit the house run. I imply, that’s simply a part of the deal. He’s essentially the most gifted participant I’ve ever seen.

“He’s doing issues that I’ve by no means seen accomplished earlier than within the sport. And if he has a pair extra of those peak years, he is likely to be the very best ever to play the sport.”

After making historical past within the seventh, Ohtani wasn’t accomplished fairly but. With place participant Vidal Bruján on the mound, Ohtani took a 2-0 pitch up within the zone and launched it to the higher deck as soon as once more, finishing the primary three-homer sport of his profession and arguably the very best sport ever contemplating the circumstances.

“That must be the best baseball sport of all time. It must be,” second baseman Gavin Lux mentioned. “There’s no method. It’s ridiculous. I’ve by no means seen anyone do this even in Little League. It’s loopy that he’s doing that on the highest stage.

“I feel everyone knows in right here that we’re watching the best participant to ever play the sport.”

After signing a 10-year, $700 million deal this winter, all the skin strain fell on Ohtani. He wanted to show he was well worth the richest contract in American sports activities and wasted no time doing so by smashing a homer in his first Spring Coaching look with the Dodgers, some of the anticipated and seen Cactus League video games in latest reminiscence.

Ohtani hasn’t stopped hitting since, setting a private greatest in homers in addition to the single-season franchise report, surpassing Shawn Inexperienced’s 2001 complete of 49. With the Dodgers navigating by plenty of accidents this season, Ohtani has performed a serious function in Los Angeles being on the verge of successful its eleventh NL West title in 12 seasons.

“For us as teammates, it’s only a privilege to look at him each single day,” shortstop Miguel Rojas mentioned. “I virtually cried, to be sincere with you, as a result of it was loads of feelings due to every thing that occurs behind the scenes that we acquired to witness each single day.

“It’s a reasonably cool second. Everyone knows what he’s able to doing. However for him to achieve that mark, it’s fairly wonderful.”

Behind the scenes, Ohtani has additionally been rehabbing from a second main proper elbow surgical procedure in an effort to return to the mound in 2025. For many gamers, that may imply a misplaced season. However for Ohtani, that didn’t cease him from producing among the finest particular person offensive seasons within the historical past of the game.

What as soon as was merely a superlative about Ohtani is now totally true. He’s in a league of his personal.

“Nothing surprises you anymore with him, as a result of he can do stuff like that,” Rojas mentioned. “Think about when he will get to pitch subsequent 12 months.”