OTANI IS STILL CHANGING THE HISTORY OF BASEBALL! Shohei Ohtani is still doing things that have never been seen before, while many people are still attempting to understand what they are watching. The most outrageous thing is that he has done it twice, making him the only player in at least 125 Major League seasons to pitch and hit a triple and a home run in the same game.

In the annals of baseball, a sport steeped in tradition and defined by historical benchmarks, very few players genuinely compel a re-evaluation of what is possible. And then, there is Shohei Ohtani. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way marvel continues to transcend the conventional understanding of athletic achievement, performing feats that leave even the most seasoned observers scratching their heads, attempting to comprehend the sheer audacity and skill they are witnessing.¹ While many are still trying to grasp the magnitude of his everyday contributions, the most outrageous thing is that he has done it twice: becoming the only player in at least 125 Major League seasons to both pitch in a game and hit a triple and a home run in that same game.

This extraordinary statistical anomaly, achieved not once but on two separate occasions, isn’t just a quirky footnote in baseball history; it’s a profound declaration of Ohtani’s singular place in the sport. It encapsulates the breathtaking combination of power, speed, and pitching prowess that defines his “unicorn” status.

Let’s break down why this specific accomplishment is so mind-boggling:

1. The Rarity of Pitching and Hitting at All: In modern baseball, two-way players are virtually non-existent at the elite level. Since Babe Ruth’s early career over a century ago, pitchers primarily pitch, and position players primarily hit and play defense. Ohtani shattered this paradigm upon his arrival in MLB in 2018, convincing the Angels (and later the Dodgers) to allow him to continue his two-way development. The very act of him being on the mound as a starting pitcher and also in the lineup as a designated hitter or a position player is a historical outlier in itself.
2. The Rarity of a Triple for a Power Hitter: Home runs are Ohtani’s calling card; he is one of the game’s premier sluggers, consistently hitting balls to the deepest parts of the park.² However, triples are far less common, even for fast players. They require a perfect combination of hitting the ball into a deep gap, having exceptional speed, and often a fortunate bounce or misplay by the defense. For a player with Ohtani’s power, many of his deep drives become home runs, eliminating the chance for a triple. The fact that he possesses the elite speed (as evidenced by his 50-50 season in 2024, hitting 54 homers and stealing 59 bases) to turn a gap shot into a triple, even as a power hitter, is remarkable.
3. The Physical Demands of Both: To pitch effectively, particularly at the elite level Ohtani performs (often hitting triple digits with his fastball and showcasing devastating off-speed pitches), requires immense physical exertion, focus, and stamina. Then, to immediately transition to hitting and generate the kind of power for a home run and the burst of speed for a triple, all within the same game, demands an athletic capacity that few, if any, other humans possess. It speaks to his unparalleled conditioning, explosive athleticism, and mental fortitude.
4. Doing it Twice: The “twice” factor elevates this from a historical anomaly to a truly legendary feat. One instance could be chalked up to a perfect storm of circumstances. But to replicate such a unique confluence of events – pitching effectively, hitting a triple, and hitting a home run – suggests an inherent and repeatable ability to excel at the highest level in all three distinct facets of the game within a single contest.

After winning the World Series with the Dodgers in 2024 as a full-time designated hitter (while recovering from his second major elbow surgery), Ohtani embarked on his highly anticipated return to the mound in 2025.³ The Dodgers have been meticulously managing his pitching workload, allowing him to gradually build up his arm strength with short, controlled outings.⁴ This careful progression makes his ability to contribute offensively, particularly with extra-base hits like triples and home runs, all the more extraordinary.

For example, a recent game on Friday, June 27, 2025, saw Ohtani doing exactly this against the Kansas City Royals.⁵ While he did not pitch in that specific game (as he was being eased back into pitching rotation with limited outings), he still showcased his two-way brilliance by blasting a 429-foot home run and lining a 112.4 mph triple into the gap. This offensive explosion happened days after he had already pitched, highlighting the continuous nature of his two-way threat. This kind of offensive performance, even on a non-pitching day, underlines the capabilities that would allow him to achieve the pitching/triple/homer feat.

Ohtani’s impact goes far beyond the incredible statistics and historical precedents he sets.

• Rethinking Player Development: His success forces baseball organizations to reconsider the traditional specialization model. Can young, talented athletes be developed as both pitchers and hitters? Ohtani’s journey challenges the long-held belief that mastering one aspect necessitates abandoning the other.
• Global Ambassador: Ohtani has significantly expanded baseball’s international appeal, particularly in Japan, where he is a national hero.⁶ His games are major cultural events, and his presence has ignited a new generation of fans globally.
• Charisma and Humility: Despite his otherworldly talents, Ohtani carries himself with a serene smile, a quiet confidence, and genuine humility. This appealing demeanor makes him incredibly relatable and endearing, further amplifying his global reach and softening the “outrageous” nature of his achievements into something truly awe-inspiring. He remains focused on the game, often deflecting praise and letting his play do the talking.⁷
• Rule Changes: Ohtani’s unique status even led to a specific MLB rule change: the “Ohtani Rule” (implemented for the 2022 season), which allows a starting pitcher who is also in the batting order to remain in the game as a designated hitter even after being removed from the mound.⁸ This rule directly acknowledges and facilitates his two-way play, demonstrating how one player can literally alter the fabric of the sport’s regulations.

In an era where advanced analytics dissect every facet of the game, Shohei Ohtani defies simple categorization. He is a living, breathing anomaly, a baseball savant who continues to push the boundaries of human athletic potential. Each time he steps on the field, whether on the mound or in the batter’s box, there’s an unspoken anticipation of history being made. The fact that he has twice achieved the unprecedented combination of pitching, hitting a triple, and hitting a home run in the same game is just one more dazzling jewel in the crown of a career that continues to unfold as one of the most remarkable stories in baseball, if not all of sports. The Unicorn is not just performing; he is constantly redefining.