LOS ANGELES ā Shohei Ohtani has time to make more history this season.
The Japanese superstar hit a two-out grand slam in the ninth inning for his 40th homer after earlier stealing his 40th base, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
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Ohtani achieved the feat in his 126th game and the teamās 129th, the quickest in major league history and the sixth player ever to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season. He also is the first Dodgers player to do so.
āItās really more about the winning,ā Ohtani said through an interpreter. āObviously the record is part of the process, but I think the most important thing is about winning the game.ā
No player has ever hit 50 homers and stolen 50 bases in a season.
With just over a month remaining in the regular season and the Dodgers leading the NL West, Ohtani could add to his lore.
āI think itās possible,ā manager Dave Roberts said. āI hope he continues to play to win baseball games and take good at-bats and take the walks when theyāre given to him. But yeah, if they throw him strikes, anythingās possible with Shohei.ā
Ohtani broke the previous mark set by Alfonso Soriano in Game 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006. Soriano had 46 homers ā the most of anyone in the exclusive club ā and 41 stolen bases that year.
Besides Soriano, Ohtani joins Ronald AcuƱa Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco in the 40-40 club. AcuƱa owns the stolen base record with 73 last year, when he also hit 41 homers.
It was the first walk-off homer and third grand slam of Ohtaniās career.
āItās just storybook ā 40-40 on the same night,ā Roberts said. āI donāt know if thatās ever been done and then he wins it with a grand slam. Heās definitely known for the dramatics and this was something Iāll remember for a long time.ā
It's Ohtani's third season with 40 or more homers, having achieved the mark with the Los Angeles Angels in 2021 and 2023.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge leads the majors with 49 homers. He is favored to win AL MVP honors, with Ohtani predicted to do the same in the NL.
Ohtaniās 389-foot shot snapped a 3-3 tie. Rays center fielder Jose Siri gave chase and the ball bounced back onto the field. He then threw it into the stands, so Ohtani didnāt end up with the keepsake, according to Ohtaniās interpreter, Will Ireton.
Ohtani took a curtain call as the crowd of 45,556 cheered. Teammates Miguel Rojas and Teoscar HernƔndez soaked him with water.
āIt means a tremendous amount for me to be able to do this in front of the home crowd,ā Ohtani said.
In the fourth inning, Ohtani reached on an infield single leading off and stole second during Freddie Freemanās at-bat. He's the first Dodgers player since Dee Gordon in 2014 to swipe that many bases in a season. Gordon finished with 64.
Ohtani never made the postseason in his six seasons with the Angels, but he finds himself in a pennant race with the Dodgers, who held a four-game lead in the NL West over the Diamondback.
āThe No. 1 goal is to get to the postseason and win the World Series,ā he said.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb