Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hits walk-off grand slam to join MLB's 40-40 club in record time.

Los Angeles Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani made history on Friday night by becoming the fastest player ever to join the 40-40 club. In a dramatic ending to their game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Ohtani’s walk-off grand slam secured a 7-3 victory.*

Entering the ninth inning with the score tied 3-3, the Dodgers rallied after Will Smith was hit by a pitch and Tommy Edman singled. With the bases loaded, Ohtani stepped up and, on the first pitch from Rays reliever Manuel Rodríguez, launched an 84 mph slider over the center-field fence for his 40th home run of the season. Earlier in the game, Ohtani had stolen his 40th base, marking the culmination of an extraordinary season.

Ohtani, who entered the game with 39 home runs and 39 stolen bases, surpassed the previous fastest mark set by Alfonso Soriano on September 16, 2006, by over three weeks. He is now the sixth player in MLB history to achieve 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, joining the ranks of legends like Ronald Acuña Jr., Barry Bonds, and José Canseco.

This season, Ohtani is batting .292 with a .992 OPS, leading the National League in home runs. Despite recovering from elbow surgery, which kept him off the mound this year, his performance at the plate has solidified his candidacy for the NL MVP award.

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