And just like that, Shohei Ohtani has done it again, something that has never been accomplished in the nearly 150-year history of Major League Baseball. On Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Dodgers’ two-way superstar surpassed the 50-home-run mark for the second straight year while also notching his 50th strikeout on the mound this season. No player in MLB history, not Babe Ruth, not any legend of the game, has ever combined that kind of power at the plate with that level of dominance on the mound. Only Ohtani.
The milestone swing came in the top of the eighth inning when Ohtani crushed his 50th home run of the season, adding yet another exclamation point to a night where he was already making history. Even in a game the Dodgers would go on to lose 9-6, Ohtani’s performance was the clear headline.
This achievement comes just a season after Ohtani stunned the baseball world by becoming the first player ever to record a 50/50 campaign, blasting 50 home runs while swiping 50 stolen bases in 2024, his debut season for the Dodgers. That feat alone seemed destined to remain one of the most unbreakable single-season accomplishments in the game’s history. But Ohtani, who has consistently redefined what’s possible in baseball, has now added another one-of-one milestone to his résumé.
Earlier in Tuesday’s contest, Ohtani reminded everyone just how impactful he is on the mound as well. Taking the ball against Philadelphia, he carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before being pulled after five dominant frames. He finished with five strikeouts, one walk, and no hits allowed, keeping the Dodgers in the game before the bullpen faltered late. On the season, Ohtani has now made 13 starts for Los Angeles, posting a 1-1 record and a 1.04 WHIP. Those numbers are even more remarkable when you consider his journey back from elbow surgery. Rather than going through traditional rehab starts in the minors, Ohtani essentially rehabbed in real time at the big-league level because his bat was too important to remove from the lineup.
At the plate, Ohtani’s numbers are nothing short of MVP-caliber once again. He enters the final stretch of the season with a .282 batting average, a .395 on-base percentage, 19 stolen bases, and, of course, those 50 home runs. While the stolen-base total is down from his 2024 historic season, likely due to the increased workload on the mound, his overall production still towers above the rest of the league.
With the Dodgers eyeing October, Ohtani looks poised to make his first postseason pitching appearances in Dodger blue. Given his track record of shining brightest under the spotlight, there’s little doubt he’ll continue to be the defining force of the Dodgers’ championship aspirations.