Ohtani Joins 40/40 Club on Walk-Off Grand Slam
August 24, 2024 by Emily Montano
August 24, 2024 by Emily Montano
Photo via AP
Shohei Ohtani continues to dazzle with his unprecedented feats in baseball.
On Friday night at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani delivered a dramatic, come-from-behind 7-3 victory for the Dodgers over the Rays with a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. This remarkable moment also made him the sixth player in baseball history to join the 40-40 club.
Ohtani's 389-foot home run off Rays left-hander Colin Poche not only secured the win but also marked a historic milestone. Earlier in the game, he had achieved his 40th stolen base in the fourth inning, setting the stage for his historic home run.
In his 126th game of the season, Ohtani surpassed the previous record by 21 games, becoming the fastest player ever to reach the 40-40 mark.
Despite a challenging night at the plate—where he had struggled in the Dodgers' previous series against the Mariners and had grounded out or lined out in his first four at-bats—Ohtani seized his moment. After Max Muncy walked on five pitches in the previous at-bat, Ohtani capitalized on a first-pitch slider from Poche, driving it 105.1 mph to right center for his first career walk-off home run. This hit also maintained the Dodgers' four-game lead over the Diamondbacks in the National League West.
With 33 games remaining, Ohtani now has the opportunity to become the first player ever to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, adding yet another chapter to his extraordinary baseball legacy with the Dodgers.