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Baseball journalist Melanie Newman says Japanese star Shohei Ohtani is a ‘once in a century’ player after he became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers player needed one stolen base and two home runs to achieve the feat and took his tally to 51 home runs and 51 steals during a 20-4 win over the Miami Marlins.

The Japanese star joined the Dodgers on a 10-year $700m (£527m) contract - the biggest deal in the sport's history - in December 2023, making him one of the highest-earning athletes in the world.

Sport Today’s Nick Hatton spoke to Newman on Ohtani’s achievement and his impact.

Image: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run, his 50th of the season, becoming the first player with a 50/50 season in MLB history, during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on September 19, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)