Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani enters 40-40 club with walk-off grand slam

LOS ANGELES —  Shohei Ohtani entered the 40-40 club in grand fashion Friday night, hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning to reach 40 home runs for the season and lift the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 7-3 victory over the  Tampa Bay Rays.

Ohtani stole his 40th base earlier in the game, reaching on an infield single leading off the fourth inning, then stealing second during  Freddie Freeman’s at-bat.

Ohtani is the fastest player in major league history to reach the vaunted 40-40 mark, doing so in his 126th game of the season. Alfonso Soriano held the previous mark, reaching 40-40 in 147 games for the Washington Nationals in 2006.

Ohtani is the sixth major leaguer to reach the milestone, and the first Dodger.

“It’s really more about the winning,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “Obviously the record is part of the process, but I think the most important thing is about winning the game.”

Friday’s blast was the first walk-off homer of Ohtani’s career and his third grand slam.

“It’s just storybook — 40-40 on the same night,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t know if that’s ever been done and then he wins it with a grand slam. He’s definitely known for the dramatics, and this was something I’ll remember for a long time.”

Ohtani’s 389-foot shot snapped a 3-3 tie. Rays center fielder Jose Siri gave chase and the ball bounced back onto the field. He then threw it into the stands, so Ohtani didn’t end up with the keepsake, according to Ohtani’s interpreter, Will Ireton.

Ohtani took a curtain call as the crowd of 45,556 stood and cheered. Teammates Miguel Rojas and Tesocar Hernandez soaked him with water on the field.

“It means a tremendous amount for me to be able to do this in front of the home crowd,” he said.

Ohtani joins Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Jose Canseco in the 40-40 club. Acuna became a member last season, when he belted 41 homers and stole 73 bases.

Ohtani is on pace to be the first player with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season in MLB history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. No player has had 45 homers and 45 steals in a season.

After never making the postseason in his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani finds himself in a pennant race with the NL West-leading Dodgers.

“The No. 1 goal is to get to the postseason and win the World Series,” he said. “Whatever the outcome is for my record, that’s part of the process.”

Ohtani’s 12 stolen bases in August without being caught are the most in a month by a Dodger since Rafael Furcal was 12-for-12 in September and October 2007.

“I know that he’s taking very good care of his legs to be able to do it and be that dynamic player,” Roberts said. “He’s doing his homework on opposing pitchers and he’s getting great jumps. He’s a much better base stealer. He’s very efficient.”

Roberts noted that earlier in the season and going back to when the Dodgers faced the Angels, Ohtani was tentative on the basepaths and his stolen base percentage wasn’t high.

“He’s an elite base stealer with a high success rate,” the manager said. “I’m sure there’ll be more dramatics to come.”

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge leads the majors with 49 homers. He’s favored to win AL MVP honors with Ohtani predicted to do the same in the NL.

“I just don’t see anyone any better,” Roberts said. “Obviously Judge is in the conversation, but man, I’d take Shohei.”

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.