The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the week in a crucial series against the Philadelphia Phillies, with second place in the NL standings on the line. The Phillies have dominated the series so far, securing the series win after their victory on Tuesday. Not only does this make it easier for them to lock in a first-round bye in the playoffs, but their magic number continues to shrink.
“The Phillies secure the season series over the Dodgers and drop their magic number to secure a first-round postseason bye to 4,” MLB posted.
The Dodgers sent out superstar Shohei Ohtani to the mound, trying anything to stay in the race for a first-round bye. Ohtani had a strong outing on Tuesday — so strong, in fact, that he set yet another MLB record previously untouched.
“Shohei Ohtani is the only MLB player in the modern era to throw 5.0+ innings and finish with no hits allowed and also homer at the plate and yet have his team lose the game,” Opta Stats posted.
While the loss was disappointing, Ohtani continues to prove why he is one of the best in the game. Not only did he make history on Tuesday night, but it was also the second time that week he achieved a historic milestone.
“Shohei Ohtani has 102 home runs and 77 stolen bases since the beginning of last season. The next-most stolen bases by any player in a two-year span that they hit at least 100 home runs is 44 by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998-1999,” Opta Stats posted.
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Ohtani is a freak of nature, and making history has become normal for him — which is remarkable. With Ohtani, the Dodgers are capable of just about anything. As the playoffs approach, the team appears to be heading down an unconventional path, but with their unicorn on the roster, anything is possible. Ohtani setting MLB history twice in one week is a rare feat, further proving his dominance in the league.