Shohei Ohtani Wasted No Time Breaking Another Record in World Baseball Classic Opener

The Dodgers superstar continued his hot hitting in the WBC by fueling a 10-run inning for Japan.

Shohei Ohtani became the first player in WBC history to have five RBI in a single inning. | Gene Wang/Getty Images

It's possible that a deep and skeptical fact-check can suggest otherwise but it feels generally true that Shohei Ohtani is attempting to put the capper on the greatest 12-month stretch of baseball anyone has ever played. Everyone was wondering what the incomparable dual-threat star would do for an encore after founding the 50-50 club in 2024 by blasting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Given the green light to resume his pitching duties, the Dodgers star once again went where no one has gone before by opening a chapter of the 50-50 organization by smacking 55 dingers and notching 62 strikeouts on the mound.

Throw in a prominent role on a Los Angeles Dodgers side that captured its second consecutive World Series crown, and it's hard to imagine things could get much better. But the World Baseball Classic is providing yet another opportunity to write his mythical history in real time. He's the centerpiece of a Japan team that is aiming to pull of its own repeat on the heels of their 2023 triumph, famously punctuated by Ohtaini punching out his then-Angels teammate Mike Trout.

Ohtani wasted no time reminding everyone of his prowess in Japan's WBC opener against Chinese Taipei on Friday. After cracking a double in the first inning, Ohtani hit a grand slam in the second inning as part of Japan's 10-run frame. He got up a second time in the inning and tacked on an RBI single as the pool hosts cruised to a 13-0 victory.

SHOHEI OHTANI GRAND SLAM! #WORLDBASEBALLCLASSIC pic.twitter.com/z0BXjlYInF

— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 6, 2026

No WBC team had ever scored 10 runs in a single inning during competition and no player had ever had more than four RBIs in an inning. Now, these are pretty specific firsts but it's amazing how often Ohtani finds himself charting new territory and at the heart of something that's never been done.

Friday's performance builds on an astounding display in the 2023 tournament. All he did back then was go 10-for-23 with a 1.345 OPS while winning two games on the mound and shutting the door in the final.

Doing something even better would seem impossible for pretty much any other player on the planet. With Ohtani, it's beginning to feel inevitable.

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