Los Angeles: Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the most extraordinary performances in baseball history as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1, sweeping the series 4-0 to advance to the World Series.
The 31-year-old Japanese star hit three massive home runs and struck out 10 Brewers batters in the same game, setting a Major League Baseball postseason record for combining both feats.
Ohtani also became the first pitcher since the Boston Braves’ Jim Tobin in 1942 to hit three home runs in a single game, showcasing his rare talent as both a hitter and pitcher.
Legends are made in the Postseason 🐐 https://t.co/h8g3e6MgxO pic.twitter.com/281ZYWaXRi
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
“It was really fun on both sides of the ball today,” Ohtani said after being named the Most Valuable Player for his heroics. “I’m taking this trophy and let’s get four more wins. We won it as a team and this is really a team effort. I hope everybody in LA and Japan and all over the world could enjoy a really good sake [Japanese rice wine].”
Ohtani entered the game at Dodger Stadium following an eight-game home run drought, but immediately set the tone by striking out three batters in the opening inning. He then dominated at the plate, including a 446-foot home run and a colossal 469-foot shot that bounced out of the stadium.
This historic outing adds to Ohtani’s already remarkable achievements, including last year’s milestone of becoming the first player to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the performance, calling it “probably the greatest postseason performance of all time. There’s a reason why he’s the greatest player on the planet. It’s kind of whatever you don’t expect, expect him to do it. This is just a performance that I’ve just never seen. No one’s ever seen something like this. I’m still in awe right now of Shohei.”
The Dodgers’ emphatic victory sets up a World Series showdown against the winner of the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners series, with the Mariners currently leading 3-2 in the best-of-seven matchup.
Ohtani’s performance, which combined pitching dominance with historic hitting, underlined his status as one of the most versatile and extraordinary talents in baseball today.
MOST READ | Spotify to roll out artist-first AI with top record labels
