On Sept. 19, MLB fans witnessed something they never had before as Shohei Ohtani became the first player in history to get into the 50/50 club. During a game against the Miami Marlins, the three-time MVP went 6-for-6 with three home runs. two stolen bases, and 10 runs batted in.
No other player in the history of the league has mashed 50 home runs and stolen 50 bases during a single season. The league announced on Tuesday that it was the top-rated play of the 2024 season.
Coming in at the No. 2 spot was Ohtani's teammate, Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series. The order of these two has sparked debate in the baseball world.
Many fans see Freeman's walk-off as the clear top play of the 2024 season. They were quick to log into social media and give their take on the matter.
"Not even close to Freddie's homer lmao" one fan posted.
"This over the walk off grand slam in the World Series... What a shocker. You guys glaze Ohtani so hard it's embarrassing" said another.
"Over a walkoff grand slam in the world series, yikes... The glaze is real" said another.
Some fans are tired of seeing the Ohtani hype day in and day out. They accuse the league of giving the three-time MVP too much praise.
"This is historic. I’ll agree to that, but the Freddie slam had to be number one" said another.
"This isn’t a play tho, this is a game of plays" said another.
"That’s not an individual play" said another.
Others are questioning if the play should even count. Ohtani's play was an entire game while Freeman's was as listed, one individual play. Freeman's also helped the club build momentum while Ohtani's happened during a regular-season blowout.
Shohei Ohtani listed as one of the most influential people in sports
While taking home the top play during the 2024 MLB season, Shohei Ohtani was gifted another award. According to Sports Business Journal, he is listed as one of the most influential people in the sports business.
He shares the top spot with Caitlin Clark of the WNBA, who has recently put women's basketball in the spotlight. Clark was also named Time's Athlete of the Year, something that Ohtani won back in 2023.