Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the greatest performances in baseball history on Friday night as he propelled the Los Angeles Dodgers back into the World Series.
The Japanese two-way sensation pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, and smashed three extraordinary home runs that traveled a combined 1,342 feet on a remarkable night.
Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, also hit the first leadoff home run by a pitcher in major league history just moments after striking out three batters in the first inning.
A 5-1 victory on Friday night secured another National League pennant for the Dodgers and completed a 4-0 clean sweep of Milwaukee Brewers.
Ohtani and his teammates will now compete against either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays for back-to-back World Series crowns.
Baseball fans watched Ohtani in awe and quickly took to social media to declare him better than Babe Ruth, who is largely considered to be the sport’s greatest-ever player.
Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the greatest performances in baseball history on Friday night
Ohtani smashed three remarkable home runs against the stunned Milwaukee Brewers
The Japanese two-way sensation also pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits
One fan said: ‘Shohei Ohtani with an out of the park home run. His 2nd home run of the night. He’s pitching a shutout too. Babe Ruth.’
Another commented: ‘Shohei Ohtani is a modern day Babe Ruth.’
A third posted: ‘There’s no reason to have discussions anymore. No one has ever played the game of baseball like Shohei Ohtani.
‘No one can or will ever do this again. He is the GOAT.’
‘I never want to hear about Babe Ruth or Aaron Judge again. Shohei Ohtani is the greatest person to ever play baseball. Period. Strikes out 3 in the top of the 1st and hits a HR in the bottom of the 1st lol,’ another fan said.
Sports analyst Skip Bayless was also stunned by Ohtani’s performance. He posted on X: ‘Shohei, pitching a shutout, just hit one of the longest home runs ever at Dodger Stadium – his second of the game after his first-inning leadoff bomb. GREATEST BASEBALL PLAYER EVER.’
Ruth, who died of throat cancer at 53, won seven World Series titles and hit 714 home runs during his illustrious career that spanned spells with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
Ruth began as a left-handed pitcher and became a slugging outfielder, playing for 22 major league seasons before retiring in 1935. In his prime, he would hit more home runs than some entire teams, and he was known for his flair on and off the field.
Babe Ruth won seven World Series titles and hit 714 home runs during his illustrious career
After striking out three in the top of the first inning of Game 4, Ohtani hit the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in major league history off Brewers starter José Quintana.
Ohtani followed with a 469-foot blast in the fourth, clearing the pavilion above the bleachers in left field.
Ohtani added a third solo shot in the seventh, becoming the 12th player in major league history to hit three homers in a playoff game. His three homers traveled a combined 1,342 feet.
‘It was really fun on both sides of the ball today,’ Ohtani said through his interpreter after the game.
‘As a representative (of the team), I’m taking this trophy, and let’s get four more wins.’
‘Sometimes you´ve got to check yourself and touch him to make sure he´s not just made of steel,’ said Freddie Freeman, last season´s World Series MVP.
‘Absolutely incredible. Biggest stage, and he goes out and does something like that. It´ll probably be remembered as the Shohei Ohtani game.’
The powerhouse Dodgers are the first team to win back-to-back pennants since Philadelphia in 2009.
Ohtani was mobbed by his Dodgers teammates as their fans celebrated his third home run
He was the obvious choice to be crowned MVP of the series after his outrageous performance
Los Angeles is back in the World Series for the fifth time in nine seasons, and it will attempt to become baseball’s first repeat champs since the New York Yankees won three straight World Series from 1998 to 2000.
‘I’ll tell you, before this season started, they said the Dodgers are ruining baseball,’ Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts shouted to the crowd during the on-field celebration. ‘Let´s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!’
After capping a 9-1 rampage through the NL playoffs with this singular performance by Ohtani, the Dodgers are headed to the World Series for the 23rd time in franchise history, including 14 pennants since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles
Only the Yankees, last year´s opponent, have made more World Series appearances.
Los Angeles will have a week off before the World Series begins next Friday, either in Toronto or at Dodger Stadium against Seattle.
The Mariners beat the Blue Jays 6-2 earlier Friday to take a 3-2 lead in the ALCS, which continues Sunday at Rogers Centre.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .