Rickey the great had 13 games with at least one home run and stolen base in 1986, which stood as the record for 38 years until Ohtani passed him with his 14th such game of 2024.
Shohei Ohtani his sublime masterpiece in Miami by keeping it going with the Dodgers back home in Los Angeles. He hit another home run and stole another base on Friday in a win over the Rockies to get to 52-52 on the season.
But Friday was also his second straight game with at least one home run and one stolen base, giving him 14 such games this season, surpassing Rickey Henderson’s record of 13 games set in 1986.
Ohtani hit a two-run shot to center field at a ball up near his eyes in the fifth inning seemed improbable, but that word has been hard to use this season describing the Dodgers designated hitter.
He then beat out a grounder behind first base in the seventh inning, stole second base, and later scored in the frame.
Shohei Ohtani, you are ridiculous! pic.twitter.com/B1LsHjbWly
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 21, 2024
Hello, 52/52! pic.twitter.com/9i2JSZJOda
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 21, 2024
Ohtani finished his night with three more hits, with two runs scored and two RBI. His nine hits over a two-game span was one shy of the Dodgers’ record, behind only Brooklyn centerfielder Hi Myers from August 21-22, 1917.
Fittingly enough, the last two-game span with nine hits by a Dodger before Ohtani was Shawn Green, beginning with his own six-hit game, his four-homer game on May 23, 2022.
Here are the individual games this season in which Ohtani has at least one home run and one stolen base:
- May 6 vs. Marlins: 2-for-3, BB, 1 HR, 2 SB
- June 11 vs. Rangers: 1-for-2, 2 BB, HBP, 1 HR, 1 SB
- July 6 vs. Brewers: 2-for-2, 2 BB, HBP, 1 HR, 1 SB
- July 13 at Tigers: 2-for-4, 2 BB, 1 HR, 1 SB
- July 27 at Astros: 2-for-3, 2 BB, 1 HR, 1 SB
- August 5 vs. Phillies: 2-for-3, SF, 1 HR, 1 SB
- August 12 at Brewers: 1-for-3, BB, 1 HR, 1 SB
- August 17 at Cardinals: 1-for-3, BB, 1 HR, 2 SB
- August 23 vs. Rays: 2-for-5, 1 HR, 1 SB
- August 28 vs. Orioles: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 SB
- August 30 at D-backs: 2-for-4, HBP, 1 HR, 1 SB
- September 11 vs. Cubs: 2-for-4, HBP, 1 HR, 1 SB
- September 19 at Marlins: 6-for-6, 2 2B, 3 HR, 2 SB
- September 20 vs. Rockies: 3-for-4, 1 HR, 1 SB
Those 14 games totaled 16 home runs and 18 stolen bases for Ohtani, which means that even without any of those homer/steal games he’d still have a 36-34 season.
What a ridiculous year.