Shohei Ohtani was supposedly going to have a lukewarm season because of his UCL injury, but now, he is smashing the game. He is rewriting the history of baseball, just recently, he created a record by reaching the exclusive 45-45 club, where it’s only just him sitting! But is this result surprising? When the Japanese star reached the 40-40 club quicker than every other one before him, 21 games ahead to be exact.

And now 50-50 is on the radar for the star, but can he complete that feat? When the question was posed to Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles Dodgers manager—he undoubtedly mentioned that if anyone could make it to that club, it was the Japanese sensation. Over the years, Roberts has seen several remarkable performances in the baseball world. But even he admits that Ohtani is special, a generational player, that is here to rewrite the record book. So, when asked about Ohtani’s pursuit of the 50-50 marks, Roberts didn’t hold back his admiration.

Shohei Ohtani stands tall against Dave Robert’s claims with smasher!

At the MLB Network’s Managers at the Mic podcast, Dave Roberts said, “I mean, there is a reason why it’s never been done. If you’re looking at skill set, then if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s Shohei. The stolen bases are meaningful bags, and the home runs, they have impacted wins for us. It is just such a remarkable season—so storybook. You know, when you think he can’t rewrite the script or rise to a certain expectation at any moment, he does.” And just a day later, Ohtani proved that he was more than worthy of his manager’s praise; he made a record with his 45th home run against the Cleveland Guardians too.

Plus, he has 21 games left in the regular season, so Shohei Ohtani has plenty of time on his hands to complete his quest of the 50-50. A game played so well that one cannot even compare him to legends like Babe Ruth. Ruth is a name synonymous with baseball- a legend, known in his time for being cut out of a different cloth. While others of his time were doing something, he was creating a league of his own. Setting goals so high that players are still compared to him whenever they achieve greatness—“playing like Babe Ruth.” But now, Shohei Ohtani has arrived, and he’s not just meeting those standards—he’s rewriting them!

The Ohtani magic that’s taking over the baseball world!

No one in the history of the sport has come close to the 50-50 mark. The last to event flirt with such greatness were Willie Mays and Alex Rodriguez. But well, Ohtani has already surpassed them all with his 45th home run. In the sixth inning, during his third plate appearance of the night, Ohtani sent a 413-foot solo homer deep off Matthew Boyd. This was an iconic shot, not only because it was his 45th home run but also because it marked his 100th RBI of the season. We might all be witnessing the finest hitting season in the whole of MLB history. 

And it was only last Tuesday, at the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, that Ohtani wasn’t just playing—he was putting on a big show! He swiped three bases in one game and what’s awe-striking is that it all came so easy to him, almost like he was stealing candy. The jump from 44 to 46 stolen bases in a matter of few hours? That’s the Ohatni magic; and now, he’s sitting at a 45 home run and 46 stolen bases with over three weeks left to create more history. 

For MVP front-runner Shohei Ohtani, limits are just illusions. So, do you think the Japanese legend can reach the 55-55 club? Because 50-50 seems like a piece of cake for him now! Let us know in the comments.