Shawn Green gives Shohei Ohtani his flowers after breaking Dodgers record
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History beckoned on Thursday night. Shohei Ohtani entered the Los Angeles Dodgers’ clash against the Miami Marlins on Thursday in need of just two home runs and one stolen base to become the founding member of the 50-50 club. Ohtani would proceed to have the greatest individual game of his life, going 6-6 with three long balls and 10 runs batted in as well as two stolen bases to lead the Dodgers to a 20-4 demolition of the Marlins to end the night with 51 home runs and 51 stolen bases on the year.
With 10 games to go in the season, becoming the first player in MLB history to reach 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season was a near-guarantee for Ohtani, provided, of course, that he remained healthy. Little did everyone expect that the Dodgers star would achieve this feat in this grand of a fashion.
Following this historic night, Shohei Ohtani also set a new record for most home runs in a single-season in Dodgers franchise history, surpassing the record Shawn Green set back in 2001 (49 homers). Green was nothing but supportive of Ohtani, with the retired slugger giving the 30-year-old Japanese international his much-deserved flowers.
“Shohei, congrats on becoming the new Dodgers single-season home run record holder. And more importantly, congrats on surpassing 50-50. What an absolutely amazing accomplishment. You’re the greatest player who’s ever lived and I’m honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as you, at least for this week. Keep it going, buddy,” Green said in a video posted by the official Dodgers account on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A special message from Shawn Green. pic.twitter.com/1NcdZcm5zg
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 20, 2024
At the very least, Shawn Green can still boast that he remains the holder of the record for most home runs in a single game, with four. Only 18 players in MLB history have accomplished this feat, which makes Green one of the holders of the rarest achievements in baseball. Green achieved the feat back in 2002, when he hit four long balls in a 16-3 Dodgers win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ohtani could have accomplished this feat against an overmatched Marlins pitching corps; in addition to the three home runs he hit on Thursday, he also hit two doubles that, on a kinder night, could have left the park. (His first double caromed off the right-center field wall, and it definitely could have travelled further if the wind was more helpful.)
Now, the Dodgers star can rest easy knowing that he has accomplished a historic feat. Or perhaps this motivates him even further — perhaps to jaw-droppingly become the first member of the 60-60 club.
Shohei Ohtani has been worth every penny for the Dodgers
Someone has to be doing something exceptionally well for them to sign a 10-year, $700 million deal and for everyone to just accept that he’s well worth his weight in gold. For the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani has been everything they’ve wanted and more. He’s an internationally-known megastar who matches his popularity with his stellar play.
What has made Ohtani stand out throughout his career is his elite hitting and pitching combination. But even though he hasn’t suited up on the mound at all this season, Ohtani has been very impactful for the Dodgers nonetheless, and he appears to be in line for another MVP. Even if Ohtani never pitches again, he is a certified elite player who keeps on adding new ways to make a winning impact for his team.
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