Lip readers detected a message Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker delivered before Los Angeles Dodgers two–way superstar Shohei Ohtani made history in Thursday’s game at LoanDepot Park.
In the top half of the seventh inning, Shohei Ohtani crushed a homer into deep left field to become the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. Ohtani finished the day 6-for-6 with three homers, 10 RBI and two stolen bases.
The Dodgers were running away with the game in the top of the seventh inning before Ohtani came to the plate with history in his hands. Before Ohtani came to bat, lip readers caught Schumaker explaining why he didn’t want to walk the $700 million man.
“F**k that,” the second-year manager apparently said. “Too much respect for this guy for that s**t to happen.”
Sure enough, Schumaker’s respect towards Shohei Ohtani resulted in the 30-year-old making MLB history on Thursday:
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Schumaker stood by his decision when speaking to reporters after the game. Schumaker said walking Ohtani would have been “a bad move, baseball-wise, karma-wise, baseball-god-wise.” Schumaker said the decision was made to try and get Ohtani out as “respect for the game.”
After Thursday’s record-setting day, Shohei Ohtani essentially locked up the National League MVP Award. He is now batting .294 with 51 homers, 120 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a ridiculous 1.005 OPS.
And to think that Ohtani hasn’t even started pitching for the Dodgers yet, meaning the future Hall of Famer still hasn’t hit his full potential with his new team.
Shohei Ohtani Makes The Dodgers The Team To Beat
The Dodgers have been a regular season juggernaut for a decade, but they only have one World Series title to show for it. With all their star power and consistent regular season success, Dave Roberts’ group should have achieved dynasty status by now.
Well, this is the Dodgers’ first season with a generational talent in Shohei Ohtani. As long as he keeps playing up to his normal standards, the Dodgers will be the overwhelming favorites to win the World Series.
