Best of Shohei Ohtani: Top 10 MLB games of two-way star
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani made a new kind of transcendent history on Thursday in Miami, as he became the first player in MLB history to post a 50-50 season (50 home runs, 50 stolen bases). Finishing the game 6-for-6 with three home runs and two stolen bases, Ohtani now has 51 home runs, 120 RBIs and 51 stolen bases this season (entering Friday's action), while boasting a .294/.376/.629 slash line.
With Ohtani's absurd, record-breaking performance, not to mention his history as a two-way player (he hasn't pitched this season due to a torn UCL), we're taking a look at the best overall games of his seven-year MLB career — which is split between the Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels (2018-23). Here are the top 10.
1. Sept. 19, 2024: Ohtani becomes another one-of-one
The aforementioned performance against the Miami Marlins amounted to the most productive game of Ohtani's MLB career as a hitter. In what was a 20-4 Dodgers win, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBIs, five extra-base hits and two stolen bases.
2. June 27, 2023: Two-way star does two-way things
Ohtani flexed his overall skill set against the Chicago White Sox in grand fashion last summer. On the mound, he tossed 6.1 innings, while striking out 10 batters and surrendering just one run. As a hitter, Ohtani went 3-for-3 with two home runs.
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3. June 21, 2022: The Elite Eight
Ohtani averaged two RBIs per at-bat one June day against the Kansas City Royals, blasting two home runs, driving in eight and doing so on just three hits.
4. May 15, 2023: Two-way efficiency
Ohtani's second AL MVP campaign picked up steam before the summer solstice, as he registered four hits, including a home run and a triple, while pitching seven innings on the road against the Baltimore Orioles.
5. May 9, 2022: Raw power
The Tampa Bay Rays were a fish out of water against Ohtani, who finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs.
6. Aug. 18, 2021: Ace dominates
Ohtani had just one hit against the Detroit Tigers, but that lone hit left the yard for a home run. More notably, he tossed eight innings, registering eight strikeouts and surrendering just one run.
7. June 13, 2019: Ohtani hits for the cycle
Ohtani had four hits against the Rays, and the sum of those hits gave him the cycle. Furthermore, Ohtani's cycle drove in three runs for the Angels.
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8. Aug. 23, 2024: Remember when 40-40 was a big deal?
It was just four weeks ago that Ohtani became the sixth player in MLB history to post a 40-40 season, which he did in the form of a walk-off grand slam against the Rays.
9. Sept. 29, 2022: Ohtani almost throws a no-hitter
Ohtani lost a no-hitter with two outs in the eighth inning against the Oakland Athletics, but still ended up striking out 10 and pitching through the eighth inning. He also finished the game with two hits.
10. July 27, 2023: Dominance by day and night
Ohtani shined as a pitcher in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Tigers and then shined as a hitter in Game 2 of the doubleheader. In Game 1, Ohtani tossed a complete-game shutout. He followed it up by hitting two home runs in Game 2.
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