Joe Davis had one of the best seats in the stadium for what may be the greatest offensive performance in baseball history.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani on Thursday became the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season, doing so with a 6-for-6 performance that included three homers, two doubles, two stolen bases and 10 RBIs.
Davis, the Dodgers' primary color commentator, was on the call, but with his busy schedule, he knew there was a strong chance he would miss out on a place in history. Ohtani entered Thursday's game with 48 homers and 49 stolen bases.
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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani watches his two-run home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami on Thursday. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
“Selfishly, I thought, 'He's got to do it today.' I was leaving after the game for the NFL. … My only chance is for him to leave here at 48, get thrown at him a little bit more this weekend and come back next Tuesday,” Davis told “The Rich Eisen Show” on Friday.
However, once Ohtani stole a base in the first inning, Davis knew it was Thursday or nothing.
But then Ohtani had what Davis called perhaps “the greatest individual day in baseball history.”
“It's just unbelievable. It was the most fun day I've ever had in my career,” he said. “That's the thing, we talked about this on the broadcast. He could have had this day in mid-May, and it still would have been one of the greatest individual days in baseball history. But he did it to get the 50/50 and get his first postseason berth, all in one day.”
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting his 50th home run of the season during the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami on Thursday. (Images by Rhona Wise-Imagn)
DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI BECOMES FIRST IN MLB HISTORY WITH 50 HOME RUNS AND 50 STEALS IN A SINGLE SEASON
“He keeps doing things that, if you presented them as a Hollywood script, would be rejected because they're unbelievable. 'This isn't happening. Nobody's going to believe this. It's a stupid script; it's too unbelievable.' And he does it frequently, which means there's no chance of something like that happening. He keeps defying the odds in every way,” Davis said.
The 2024 season didn't get off to a great start for Ohtani, as he was embroiled in a gambling scandal involving his former manager, Ippei Mizuhara. However, Mizuhara admitted to stealing more than $16 million from Ohtani for gambling purposes, while Ohtani denied any wrongdoing or any knowledge of Mizuhara's transgressions.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani walks the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park in Miami on Thursday. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
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But now, Ohtani is about two weeks away from playing his first postseason game.
Ohtani, a pitcher, is recovering from elbow surgery and hasn’t been on the mound this year, but he still found a way to do things never before seen. He’s the heavy favorite to win his third MVP award (he previously won the honor in 2021 and 2023 while in the American League). Clearly, that $700 million contract is worth it.
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