Locked in at the plate, Shohei Ohtani chases Triple Crown entering final weekend of regular season

DENVER (AP) — Shohei Ohtani's locked in at the plate, on the bases, for the NL MVP and now even on the Triple Crown.

It's been that kind of late-season surge for the Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter who's already invented the 50-50 club.

Ohtani went 4 for 5 — including his 54th homer of the season and 57th stolen base — in an 11-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night to keep in the running for the prestigious NL Triple Crown.

Ohtani's torrid performance ensures he's in the lineup for the final two games — just to see what can happen.

“I’m personally invested in the Triple Crown,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I know he’s cognizant of it."

Heading into the weekend, Ohtani’s leading the NL in homers (54) and RBIs (130). He raised his average to .309 on Friday, trailing only San Diego's Luis Arráez (.314) in the batting average race.

The last AL Triple Crown winner was Miguel Cabrera in 2012. In the NL, the St. Louis Cardinals' Joe Medwick in 1937 was the last player to lead the league in all three categories.

“He’s locked in,” teammate Chris Taylor said of Ohtani.

Perhaps even beyond locked in for the NL West-champion Dodgers. Ohtani now has 24 hits over his last 34 at-bats, which includes six doubles, six homers, 20 RBIs and eight steals.

“He’s definitely in a zone right now,” added Taylor, whose team is 38-12 when Ohtani goes deep. "He’s feeling it. We’re all just watching him continue to have a good year and he’s finishing it strong.”

On Friday, wearing spikes featuring a picture of his dog, Decoy, Ohtani stole his 57th base to pass Ichiro Suzuki for the most in a single season by a Japanese-born player.

He's now successfully swiped 34 straight bases, which is the second-longest streak in franchise history. He's four away from matching Davey Lopes' mark in 1975.

For the season, Ohtani is 57 of 61 on stolen-base attempts.

In addition, Ohtani is second in franchise history with 408 total bases. Babe Herman set the record of 416 in 1930.

“Being on the same field with that type of player, I think players sort of feel good about that,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Ohtani's presence. “He hits the ball really hard because he swings hard and he’s a strong man.”

On deck, carrying it over as he gets his first taste of the postseason. Ohtani won two AL MVP awards for the Los Angeles Angels but the team never earned a playoff spot.

He got an early feel for playoff pressure in a pivotal three-game series against San Diego, when the Dodgers took two of three to sew up their third straight NL West title. Ohtani had six hits and three doubles.

“Those were some of the biggest games he's had in his career,” Taylor said. “This is a different environment for you and that intensity will bring out a new side of a player.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani doubles off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Luis Peralta in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani gestures to the dugout after reaching second base on a double off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Luis Peralta in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani scores on a double hit by Kevin Kiermaier off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Luis Peralta in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, slides safely into home plate to score on a double hit by Kevin Kiermaier as Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings turns to apply a late tag in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, congratulates left fielder Teoscar Hernández after the Dodgers' victory over the Colorado Rockies in a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, left, congratulates Shohei Ohtani after he stole second base and then advance to third base on a throwing error by Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings in the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel, left, congratulates Shohei Ohtani after he stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error by Colorado Rockies catcher Jacob Stallings in the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani steals second base in the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani gestures to the bullpen as he circles the bases after hitting a three-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Anthony Molina in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani follows the flight of his three-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Anthony Molina in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the flight of his three-run home run off Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Anthony Molina in the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns finds himself in an unusual situation this weekend as he returns to American Family Field for the first time since leaving the Milwaukee Brewers.

His current team is trying to clinch a postseason berth by beating the annual playoff contender he helped build.

“I think at this point I have enough distance for it,” Stearns said before the Mets' 8-4 loss to the Brewers on Friday night. “That roster has turned over pretty considerably since I’ve been in the seat here. I certainly know a lot of the people over there, I know a lot of the players over there, but I think there’s been enough distance at this point.”

Stearns joined the Brewers in October 2015 as general manager and was promoted to president of baseball operations before the 2019 season. He stepped down after the 2022 season and remained with the Brewers in an advisory role while Matt Arnold — his former right-hand man — took over as president of baseball operations. Stearns left Milwaukee entirely last fall to run baseball operations for the team he rooted for as a kid growing up in New York City.

He believed this was his first time back at American Family Field since August 2023. The Brewers opened the season by sweeping the Mets in New York, but the teams hadn’t faced each other since.

Now they’re meeting again with the Mets’ season on the line.

The Mets are competing with the Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL's final two wild-card spots. The Mets' loss and the Braves' 3-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday left them with identical 87-71 records. The Diamondbacks fell to 88-72 with their 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres.

As Stearns noted, the Brewers’ roster has changed quite a bit since he departed. Milwaukee's starting lineup Friday included only four players — second baseman Brice Turang, right fielder Sal Frelick, left fielder Jackson Chourio and shortstop Willy Adames — who joined the organization when Stearns was in charge.

Even so, Stearns played a major role in helping the Brewers put together the longest sustained run of success in franchise history. Milwaukee clinched the NL Central title last week and will be making its sixth playoff appearance in the last seven years. That run of postseason bids came shortly after Stearns engineered the blockbuster acquisition of Christian Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP.

Milwaukee had made the playoffs just twice in a 35-year stretch from 1983-2017.

“It’s fun being back here,” Stearns said. “I’m glad I’m back here when games really matter for us. We’re playing for something that’s really important, so we have to go out and have a good series.”

Stearns is now trying to get back in the playoffs with the Mets, which could result in a return to Milwaukee next month. But that path just got quite a bit more complicated.

The Mets face the possibility of playing a doubleheader in Atlanta on Monday — the day after the scheduled end of the regular season — for the right to begin a Wild Card Series on Tuesday. That scenario developed because New York's scheduled Wednesday and Thursday games in Atlanta were rained out.

“Nobody wants to play a doubleheader on Monday,” Stearns said. “The Braves didn’t want that outcome, MLB didn’t want that outcome and certainly we didn’t want that outcome. I think it’s easy in retrospect to say that we could have done things differently to get there. It’s also really tough in the moment to predict exactly what the weather is going to do. There are a whole host of considerations that everyone is working through in order to make the best decision possible.

"The reality is we may have to play a doubleheader on Monday, and if we do, we’ll do the best that we can.”

Stearns was asked if he believed the start of a Wild Card Series should be pushed back a day if that Monday doubleheader takes place. The twinbill would only happen if the Mets’ and Braves’ playoff fates aren’t settled by then.

“That’s not my decision, and so I’m not really thinking about it,” Stearns said. “Whenever we play, we play.”

If New York ends up as the third NL wild card, Stearns would be seeing his former team again with even more at stake as the Mets and Brewers square off in a best-of-three series.

“Our focus is on to get into the playoffs,” Stearns said. “If we get into the playoffs, we’ll play whoever we need to play.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso came back out onto the field to take pictures with his family after a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

New York Mets' Jesse Winker, left, and Brandon Nimmo celebrate Nimmo's home run in the sixth inning during a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after striking out Kody Clemens for the final out of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)

A tarp covers the infield as rain comes down at Truist Park after the baseball game between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves as postponed, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, in Atlanta. The Mets-Braves games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday are postponed and will be made up as a doubleheader Monday, Sept. 30. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)