Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani inched closer to making baseball history, hitting his 46th home run of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. With this milestone, Ohtani has matched his 46 stolen bases, putting him within striking distance of becoming Major League Baseball’s first-ever 50-50 player.

In the fifth inning, Ohtani crushed a high changeup from Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee, sending the ball 450 feet down the right-field line for a two-run homer. The umpires briefly reviewed the play to confirm the ball stayed fair, which it did, much to the relief of the fans at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani finished the game 2-for-4, raising his season batting average to .291 with an impressive .992 OPS.

This home run ties Ohtani’s career-high of 46, a mark he first reached in 2021. That year, he also stole 26 bases, but this season he has far surpassed that total with only four caught-stealings. His combination of power and speed is setting new standards in the game, with his 46 homers and 46 steals marking an unprecedented feat since Alex Rodríguez’s 42 home runs and 46 steals in 1998. Ronald Acuña Jr. achieved a 40-70 season last year, but no player has combined power and speed in quite the way Ohtani is doing this year.

With 19 games left in the regular season, Ohtani has a legitimate chance to reach the elusive 50-50 mark, a feat never before seen in MLB history. The Dodgers, who have won seven of their last 10 games, are also making a strong push towards the postseason, holding a 5 1/2 game lead over the San Diego Padres and a seven-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West.

Ohtani’s pursuit of the 50-50 milestone adds an extra layer of excitement as the Dodgers aim for a deep postseason run. As the season winds down, all eyes will be on Ohtani to see if he can achieve this remarkable feat.