LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani Fastest 40-40 player in baseball.
The Japanese superstar hit a two-out grand slam for his 40th homer in the ninth inning. stole his 40th baseThe Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-3 on Friday night.
Ohtani hit the streak in his 126th game and the team’s 129th, the fastest in major league history and the sixth record to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. He was the first Dodgers player to do so.
“It’s really about winning,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “Obviously the record is part of the process, but I think the most important thing is to win the game.”
He broke the previous mark set by Alfonso Soriano in 2006 in 148 games for the Washington Nationals.
“It’s just storybook — 40-40 on the same night,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know if that was ever done, and then he won it with a Grand Slam. He’s definitely known for plays, which I’ll remember for a long time.
Ohtani’s 389-foot shot tied the game at 3-3. Rays center fielder Jose Siri gave chase and the ball came back into the field. He then threw it into the stands so Ohtani didn’t end up with the souvenir, says Will Ireton, Ohtani’s interpreter.
Dodgers starter Bobby Miller was watching on television in the clubhouse when Ohtani made history.
“That’s what I called it,” he said. “I felt like how cool would it be to get that 40-40 in a Grand Slam going on? He is a really good player.”
Ohtani took a curtain call as the crowd of 45,556 stood and cheered. Teammates Miguel Rojas and Teoscar Hernandez doused him with water on the field.
“It’s a huge amount to be able to do it in front of the home crowd,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani joins Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco in the 40-40 club. Acuna became a member last season when he belted 41 homers and stole 73 bases.
After not making the postseason in his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani finds himself in a pennant race with the NL West-leading Dodgers.
“The first goal is to get to the postseason and win the World Series,” he said. “Whatever my record decision is, that’s part of the process.”
In the fourth, Ohtani led off with an infield single against Tyler Alexander and moved to second on Freddie Freeman’s at-bat.
His 12 stolen bases in August without getting caught were the most in a month by a Dodger since Rafael Furgal’s 12-for-12 streak in September and October 2007.
“I know he takes good care of his feet to be able to do that and be that dynamic player,” Roberts said. “He does his homework on opposing pitchers and he gets great jumps. He’s a great base stealer. He’s very skilled.”
Roberts noted that earlier in the season and when the Dodgers faced the Angels, Ohtani was tentative on the basepaths and his stolen base percentage was not high.
“He’s an elite base stealer with a high hit rate,” the manager said. “I’m sure there will be many more plays to come.”
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge leads the majors with 49 homers. He’s favored to win AL MVP honors, and Ohtani is projected to do the same in the NL.
“I don’t see anybody better, obviously Judge is in the conversation, but man, I’ll take Shohei,” Roberts said.
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