Los Angeles: 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. Ohtani achieved the feat in his 126th game and the team’s 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. "It’s really more about the winning,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. "Obviously the record is part of the process, but I think the most important thing is about winning the game.
” 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. "I think it’s possible,” manager Dave Roberts said.
"I hope he continues to play to win baseball games and take good at-bats and take the walks when they’re given to him. But yeah, if they throw him strikes, anything’s possible with Shohei.” Ohtani broke the previous mark set by Alfonso Soriano in Game 148 for the Washington Nationals in 2006.
Soriano had 46 homers - the most of anyone in the exclusive club - and 41 stolen bases that year. Besides Soriano, Ohtani joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco in the 40-40 club.
Acuña owns the stolen base record with 73 .