Sports
Plaschke: Sho-Time is back! Ohtani dramatically swings his way into history
Shohei Ohtani didn’t just make history, he wore it.
As he danced across home plate into the arms of bouncing, disbelieving Dodgers Friday night, the magnitude of his accomplishment was evident in the condition of his uniform.
His shirt was soaked from being sprayed with water, marking his 40th home run.
His left pants leg contained large cakes of dirt, marking his 40th steal.
No other player in baseball history has ever looked quite like that.
No other player in baseball history joined the exclusive 40/40 club by reaching both the steals and home-run milestones in the same game, just five innings apart, with the finishing touch coming on a walk-off grand slam.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called it “storybook.”
Ohtani said he was “very ecstatic.”
I’m like, are you kidding me?
The Dodgers and their fans have never seen anyone like this guy, ever, ever, ever, 40 times ever, a fact that was proven again Friday in their dramatic 7-3 win over the Tampa Rays in front of a roaring, stomping mob at Dodger Stadium.
“Shohei just never ceases to amaze,” Roberts told reporters afterward.
With every breath he takes. With every move he makes.
Ohtani stole second base in the fourth inning without a throw because he is so darn fast. He hit his walk-off grand slam over the right-center field fence with two out in the ninth with an ordinary swipe because he is so darn strong.
The six-person 40/40 club rarely accepts new members because one must possess those completely separate skills of so darn fast and so darn strong. Babe Ruth never did it. Willie Mays never did it. Ty Cobb never did it. Hank Aaron never did it. Ted Williams never did it. No Dodger has ever done it.
Shohei Ohtani stole his 40th base of the season against the Rays in the fourth inning Friday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Ohtani reached the milestone quicker than anyone of his five 40/40 predecessors and, with a month’s worth of games remaining, he will surely end up surpassing them all with baseball’s first 45/45 season. Heck, the odds are 50-50 that he can reach even the seemingly insurmountable 50/50 plateau.
“That’s never been done, right?” said Roberts of 50/50. “So, I mean, I think with this guy, you know, over a month of baseball left, I think anything’s possible.”
Since Ohtani joined the Dodgers from the Angels last winter, the belief that anything is possible has actually been replaced by the idea that everything is possible.
“I think that he wants to be the greatest player to ever play this game,” said Roberts. “And when you start doing things like that, then you’re certainly staking your claim.”
The trajectory of the walk-off homer and its ensuing reaction was perhaps symbolic of Ohtani’s incredible, improbable journey into becoming even better than anyone thought.
The ball was hit so high, one could see fans literally holding their breath in disbelief that it would actually clear the fence. When it did sneak over the right-center field wall, bouncing in and out of the glove of the Worst Fielding Fan Ever and dropping back down to the grass, the building erupted so loudly that as Ohtani rounded the bases, one could barely even hear Randy Newman.
When Ohtani arrived here with a $700-million contract and a starry history and a perfect smile, many folks wondered if he was too good to be true.
Now that everyone realizes he’s even better, the results have been deafening.
“He’s definitely known for the dramatics,” said Roberts.
He began his Dodger career amid the uncertainty of offseason Tommy John elbow surgery. Yet in his first spring training game, he hit a home run.
He began the regular season caught in the swirl of a gambling scandal in which he was absolved of all wrongdoing but featured longtime interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing more than $16 million from him. Yet in the first month of the season Ohtani recorded a 1.017 OPS as if nothing ever happened.
He had lately struggled against left-handed pitching, dropping his August batting average to near .200, yet guess who he homered against on Friday night? Yep, a left-hander named Colin Poche, on his first pitch, as if Ohtani had again shrugged off all doubt and couldn’t wait to pounce.
“One of my top memorable moments,” Ohtani told the media through his interpreter Will Ireton. “And I hope that I can do more and make more memorable moments.”
The Dodgers are counting on it, and Ohtani will be held to it. With every bit of greatness, more greatness will be expected.
First, there’s the postseason, an event where Ohtani has yet to participate, but the main reason he’s here and not still in Anaheim. He has said he wants these big moments, these championship moments, occasions like Friday night’s dramatic pennant-race moment, and in a few weeks he’ll have plenty of them, the pressure on him anew.
“You’re playing for a championship caliber team, you’re playing for meaning every game in …August, September, going forward is meaningful,” said Roberts. “That’s something that he signed up for. And so you can expect there to be better performance. And that’s what’s happening.”
Then there’s the moments not accessible this season but coming soon. You do remember he also pitches, right? He’s not pitching this year because his arm is recovering from the elbow surgery but, yes, think about it, he’s the best player in baseball this season and the Dodgers haven’t even seen his best!
“He’s just dangerous…anytime he puts that uniform on,” said Roberts.
In case folks were wondering, and they surely were, Friday night’s blast was obviously not the biggest home run in the history of Dodger Stadium, That honor will forever remain with Kirk Gibson and the authors of several other memorable postseason dingers.
In fact, the home run wasn’t even the biggest in Dodger Stadium regular season history. Don’t forget Steve Finley’s walk-off grand slam that gave the Dodgers the 2004 division title, or Charlie Culberson’s walk-off homer in 2016 that gave them the division crown in Vin Scully’s last home game.
Call this, instead, one of the most faith-stirring home runs in Dodger Stadium history, a grand slam that reached one milestone while increasing belief in another, an August blast filled with October heat, a preview of things to come?
During the postgame on-field interview with Spectrum SportsNet LA, one of the first words out of Ohtani’s mouth, through his interpreter, was, “World Series.”
As in, that’s what Shohei Ohtani is all about, that’s what the grand slam was all about, water on his jersey, dirt on his pants, a ring in his eye, and hope in a city’s heart.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Earlier this month, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered a head coaching search for just the third time since hiring Chuck Noll in 1969.
On Jan. 13, Mike Tomlin announced he would step down after 19 seasons as the franchise’s head coach.
During the search for their next head coach, the Steelers interviewed a number of candidates, many of them young assistants in the vein of Noll, Mike Tomlin and Bill Cowher, all of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as relative unknowns and left with Super Bowl rings and Hall of Fame-worthy resumes.
During an introductory press conference with the Steelers that got emotional at times, McCarthy, a Pittsburgh native, beamed with pride about his third head coaching opportunity.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy at a news conference announcing him as the new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
“I thought I’d at least be able to get started,” the new Steelers head coach said, trying unsuccessfully to choke back his emotions while looking out at members of the McCarthy family inside Acrisure Stadium.
McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers spent several years together when both were part of the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy coached the Packers to a 125-77-2 record from 2006-18. Rodgers left the Packers after the 2022 season. He spent two seasons with the New York Jets before signing a one-year deal with the Steelers last offseason.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy during the first half against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium Jan. 5, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
While Rodgers had a relatively productive first season with the Steelers, the 42-year-old quarterback is undoubtedly much closer to the sunset of his storied career than the onset. It is unclear whether Rodgers will return to the Steelers in 2026, pursue an opportunity with another team or simply step away from the game.
The possibility of a reunion between Rodgers and McCarthy was brought up during Tuesday’s news conference. McCarthy expressed optimism about potentially getting another shot at coaching Rodgers.
“Definitely, I don’t see why you wouldn’t,” McCarthy replied to reporters’ questions about possibly working with the four-time MVP.
TOM BRADY TALKS AARON RODGERS’ POSSIBLE RETIREMENT, IMPROVING IN BROADCAST BOOTH
In 2022, ahead of Dallas Cowboys coach McCarthy’s return to Lambeau Field, Rodgers said the passage of time had given him a greater appreciation of the seasons he spent with his former coach.
“It’s probably normal in any relationship you have,” Rodgers said at the time. “When you’re able to take time away, and you have that separation, it’s natural to look back and have a greater sense of appreciation and gratitude and thankfulness for that time.”
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, right, speaks at a news conference introducing him as the next head coach of the Steelers as owner Art Rooney II listens in at PNC Champions Club at Acrisure Stadium Jan. 27, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
McCarthy oversaw the Packers’ 2010 season when the franchise won its lone Super Bowl title during Rodgers’ career, but the relationship between the quarterback and coach eventually soured. McCarthy was fired late in the 2018 season.
Neither McCarthy nor his hometown Steelers have been back to the big game since. He knows the clock is ticking.
“It’s time to bring another championship back to this great city,” McCarthy said Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
It’s time to see which Mission League basketball teams are ready for some March Madness in February.
The tournament is set to begin Thursday after Tuesday’s final results clarified seedings.
The final game of the night was Crespi pulling out a 65-61 win over Loyola when Isaiah Barnes scored while falling down with 15 seconds left for the game-clinching basket. Despite the loss, Loyola claimed fourth place in the seedings while finishing in a three-way tie for fourth with Crespi and St. Francis.
The Cubs, though, are 14-14 and will need a win Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s Bishop Alemany (No. 8) vs. St. Francis (No. 5) game to keep alive their Southern Section playoff hopes. You need a .500 or better record to be considered for an at-large berth.
The other Thursday game has No. 7 Chaminade at No. 6 Crespi. That winner will play at Harvard-Westlake on Saturday.
Crespi was led by 6-foot-9 Rodney Mukendi, who scored 17 points. Deuce Newt had 15 points for Loyola.
Harvard-Westlake 90, St. Francis 56: Joe Sterling got back his shooting touch, making seven threes and finishing with 27 points. Amir Jones added 17 points for Harvard-Westlake. St. Francis did not play center Cherif Millogo.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 81, Bishop Alemany 48: The Knights claimed second place in the Mission League and an automatic spot for the Southern Section playoffs. Zach White had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Notre Dame played without NaVorro Bowman.
Sierra Canyon 79, Chaminade 28: Brandon McCoy had 18 points and Maxi Adams added 17 points for the Mission League regular-season champions.
Crean Lutheran 76, La Habra 67: The Saints took over first place in the Crestview League.
Mira Costa 53, Peninsula 41: Logan Dugdale has 17 points and 10 rebounds for Mira Costa (23-4).
Sports
Amanda Anisimova defends right to avoid ‘clickbait’ questions about US politics at Australian Open
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova called out a reporter at the Australian Open for asking “clickbait” questions about representing the United States under the Trump administration, saying it was her “right” not to speak on political matters.
Speaking to reporters after her fourth-round victory over Wang Xinyu, Anisimova was asked about how she is handling the “discourse” that has surrounded her after a reporter asked her and several American tennis players about their thoughts on representing the Stars and Stripes.
Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. is congratulated by Katerina Siniakova, right, of the Czech Republic following their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Dita Alangkara/AP Photo)
“I feel like the internet is – it’s tough. It comes with the job, which is something I’ve learned to get used to,” she said, adding that there are days “where it bothers me a little bit.”
Anisimova, a finalist at the 2025 U.S. Open and Wimbledon, later addressed the incident involving the reporter, who OutKick reported was freelance journalist Owen Lewis.
“In my other press conference, the fact that I didn’t want to answer a question that was obviously intended for just like a headline and clickbait, that was my right. It had nothing to do with my political views or anything like that.”
Anisimova was initially asked at an earlier press conference how it felt to “play under the American flag right now.”
“I was born in America. So, I’m always proud to represent my country,” the New Jersey native said. “A lot of us are doing really well, and it’s great to see a lot of great athletes on the women’s side and men’s side. I feel like we’re all doing a great job representing ourselves.”
Amanda Anisimova of the United States in action against Simona Waltert of Switzerland in the first round on Day 2 of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 19, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
TENNIS STAR AMANDA ANISIMOVA DISMISSES REPORTER’S CYNICAL QUESTION ABOUT US: ‘I DON’T THINK THAT’S RELEVANT’
But the reporter later clarified his question, asking “in the context of the last year of everything that’s been happening in the U.S., does that complicate that feeling at all?”
Anisimova fired back, “I don’t think that’s relevant.”
Speaking to reporters Monday, she said it was wrong for fans to assume her politics based on that response, saying, “The fact that people assume that they know my stance on certain important topics is just wrong. It’s not factual. It’s tough, but I’ve learned to get used to it.”
Amanda Anisimova reacts after defeating Naomi Osaka during the women’s singles semifinals of the US Open tennis championships in Flushing Meadows, New York, on Sept. 5, 2025. (Frank Franklin II/AP Photo)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Many social media users, including former American tennis stars John Isner and Tennys Sandgren, came to her defense and criticized the reporter’s line of questioning, which other American tennis players, including Taylor Fritz, were asked.
Fox News Digital’s Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Where to score tickets for this Sunday’s Pistons vs. Nets game for under $30
Exclusive: San Francisco Police Department investigating Zoox collision with a parked car | TechCrunch
Man found dead over the weekend by police in South Dallas identified
New Japanese restaurant brings affordable bentos, hand rolls to Boston
Huge new $27 million Denver bathhouse would include sauna, cold plunges
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Graham pushes back on Tillis’ criticism of Noem, Miller for labeling man killed by Border Patrol a ‘terrorist’
North Korea’s Kim to outline plans to boost nuclear arsenal
Rep. Ilhan Omar rushed by man on stage and sprayed with liquid at town hall event
Video: F.A.A. Ignored Safety Concerns Prior to Collision Over Potomac, N.T.S.B. Says
Democrats demand Kristi Noem be fired or warn impeachment will follow
-
Illinois6 days agoIllinois school closings tomorrow: How to check if your school is closed due to extreme cold
-
Sports1 week agoMiami’s Carson Beck turns heads with stunning admission about attending classes as college athlete
-
Pittsburg, PA1 week agoSean McDermott Should Be Steelers Next Head Coach
-
Lifestyle1 week agoNick Fuentes & Andrew Tate Party to Kanye’s Banned ‘Heil Hitler’
-
Pennsylvania2 days agoRare ‘avalanche’ blocks Pennsylvania road during major snowstorm
-
Sports1 week agoMiami star throws punch at Indiana player after national championship loss
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoNortheast Ohio cities dealing with rock salt shortage during peak of winter season
-
Technology6 days agoRing claims it’s not giving ICE access to its cameras