Ohtani's epic 50-50 game leads list of Capital One Plays of the Year

Ohtani's epic 50-50 game leads list of Capital One Plays of the Year

December 31st, 2024

The 2024 MLB season produced a treasure trove of big plays and monumental moments. From spectacular catches, clutch homers and historic postseason performances to the formation of an exclusive and highly impressive club, the collection of highlights will keep us entertained for years to come.

Here are the Capital One Plays of the Year.

1. Ohtani creates the 50-50 club

Leave it to to make history in one of the best games a hitter can imagine. On Sept. 19 in Miami, the Dodgers superstar hit his 50th home run of the 2024 season, making him the first player to pair 50 homers with 50 or more stolen bases in the same year. Not only did Ohtani create the 50-50 club that day, though -- he hit three homers and two doubles in an incredible 6-for-6, 10-RBI showing against the Marlins.

2. ‘Gibby, meet Freddie!’

’s walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series -- and his subsequent hobble around the bases while in clear pain -- is an iconic moment in baseball history. Thirty-six years later, another Dodger delivered a similarly memorable homer. With L.A. down 3-2 in the 10th inning of Game 1 of the 2024 Fall Classic, , slowed all postseason by a severe right ankle sprain, hammered the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history, thrilling the Dodger Stadium crowd.

3. Another Ohtani milestone, in grand fashion

Ohtani certainly proved to have a flair for the dramatic in his first season for the Dodgers. On Aug. 24 -- less than four weeks before reaching the 50-50 benchmark -- Ohtani hit 40-40 with a walk-off grand slam against the Rays. The homer, which just carried over the wall in right-center field, made Ohtani the fastest player to reach 40-40 in a single season (129 team games).

4. Bringing it back and then some

The catch of the year. One of the best catches ever. A grab for the ages. No matter what you call ’s jaw-dropping robbery on Aug. 31 at Citizens Bank Park, it’s hard to overstate it. Harris raced back to the center-field wall and extended well beyond it to take away a homer from the Phillies’ , who could only gesture in awe back to Harris after the Braves outfielder’s phenomenal snag.

5. Alonso’s Amazin’ homer

With everything on the line, came through. The Mets first baseman had been struggling late in 2024, but that hardly mattered when Alonso faced Brewers closer in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series with the Mets two outs away from elimination. Alonso launched a three-run homer to the opposite field, putting New York ahead for good and sending Milwaukee packing. It was the start of an Amazin’ postseason for the Mets, who made it all the way to the NL Championship Series.

6. Freddie can’t be stopped

Not even his ankle injury could derail Freeman, who put on a power stretch to rival anyone as the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the 2024 World Series. Freeman homered in each of the first four games of the Fall Classic, giving him a streak of SIX straight World Series contests with a homer, dating back to 2021 with the Braves. That’s an MLB record, and it was enough to earn Freeman the World Series MVP Award.

7. A TRIPLE play … for the playoffs?

There were only two triple plays turned across MLB in 2024, and one of them came at just the right moment. The Padres held a 4-2 lead on Sept. 24 at Dodger Stadium, but L.A. got its first two hitters aboard in the bottom of the ninth. Then snared a hard grounder and raced to third base, starting a 5-4-3 triple play to retire the side and end the game. Better yet, the win cinched a postseason berth for the Padres, who went on to beat the Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.

8. Happy Fry Day

broke out in 2024 with an excellent season for the Guardians, playing all around the diamond and earning American League All-Star honors. Perhaps it’s only fitting that he delivered one of Cleveland’s best moments of the year. Fry broke a 5-5 tie against the Yankees with a two-run homer off in the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 3 of the ALCS, walking things off for the Guardians in dramatic fashion.

9. Coming up clutch on defense

Fry’s home run at No. 8 certainly isn’t the last time ALCS Game 3 makes an appearance on this list. It’s not even the only moment from the wild contest in the top 10, thanks to second baseman . In the top of the 10th -- minutes before Fry’s walk-off homer -- the three-time Gold Glove Award winner ranged well to his left to keep a grounder on the infield. Giménez’s off-balance throw was snared on a hop by first baseman , recording a big second out and setting the stage for Fry’s heroics.

10. Lindor strikes the decisive blow

One day. Two games. So much at stake. The Mets and Braves met for a doubleheader in Atlanta on Sept. 30, a day after the originally scheduled final day of the regular season. Both teams needed one win to make the postseason, and certainly helped New York with that. Lindor’s go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning of a back-and-forth Game 1 put the Mets into the playoffs, and the rest was history.

11-20. Young stars deliver big grand slams

The players, teams and circumstances were certainly different, but a pair of young infielders hit a pair of memorable grand slams in 2024. In New York, ’s slam in Game 4 of the World Series -- Play No. 11 on this list -- helped the Yankees live another day. At Camden Yards, meanwhile, Orioles rookie cleared the bases with his first career homer, becoming the youngest player in franchise history to hit a grand slam (Play No. 16).

21-30. Big homers in big moments

Three huge home runs in the 2024 postseason highlight Plays Nos. 21-30 on our list. Guardians slugger checks in at No. 30 with his game-tying two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth of ALCS Game 3, but and the Yankees got the last laugh in that series. Soto slugged a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning of Game 5 (Play No. 25 of 2024) to help New York reach the World Series. On the NL side of things, Lindor’s go-ahead grand slam in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Phillies was the No. 23 play of the season.

31-40. Division rivals battle it out

Two AL Central foes played a thrilling ALDS, with the Guardians and Tigers tangling in the postseason for the first time. That series produced two memorable homers: ’s go-ahead shot off in Game 2 (Play No. 35) and ’ grand slam against in the decisive Game 5 (No. 32). Also in this segment of the list was ’s 300th career home run on Aug. 14 (No. 33), which made the Yankees star the fastest player to reach 300 homers.

41-50. Homer barrages and web gems

Hitting and fielding each had their day among Plays Nos. 41-50. At the plate, Braves catcher cracked the list at No. 45 with his three-homer game against the Rangers, capped by a go-ahead grand slam. Meanwhile, set a Red Sox record by homering in six straight games (No. 41). And in the field, Rockies center fielder flew through the air to rob Ohtani of extra bases (No. 48) -- one of several standout grabs in this part of the Top 100.

51-60. Cease struts no-hit stuff

certainly delivered in his first season with the Padres. On July 25 in Washington, Cease completed the first no-hitter of his career and the second in franchise history against the Nationals (Play No. 57). This section of the Capital One Plays of the Year list also includes ’s jaw-dropping robbery of a potential game-tying home run at Angel Stadium (No. 56) -- one of numerous stellar catches by Brewers outfielders in the Top 100 -- and Ohtani passing for the most homers by a Japanese-born player (Play No. 60).

61-70. Walking off into the postseason

What a year it was for the Guardians, who won the AL Central for the fifth time in the past nine seasons. Cleveland clinched a postseason berth in dramatic fashion on Sept. 19, with Giménez delivering a walk-off single against the Twins (Play No. 70). Also among Plays Nos. 61-70 were ’s no-hitter against the Reds (No. 61) and ’s robbery of in the NLDS (No. 69).

71-80. A comeback and a coronation

Two homers that electrified the home crowd led the way in this part of the Capital One Plays of the Year list. Ohtani earned a spot at No. 71 by going deep in his first postseason game, drilling a three-run shot against the Padres in NLDS Game 1. At No. 77 is a walk-off grand slam by Mariners catcher , giving Seattle a thrilling win after an eighth-inning comeback against the White Sox.

81-90. X marks the spot

Marlins infielder picked quite the day to hit his first career home run. Edwards led off July 28 against the Brewers with a first-pitch homer, then followed it up with a double, a triple and a single for just the second cycle in franchise history -- Play No. 88 on the list. Elsewhere in this part of the Top 100 are ’s game-winning homer in the 2024 All-Star Game (No. 84) and the Cubs’ combined no-hitter, their first no-no at Wrigley Field since 1972 (No. 89).

91-100. Dodgers clinch World Series championship

Rounding out the list at No. 100? The final out of the 2024 World Series, featuring ’s strikeout of as the Dodgers won the eighth Fall Classic title in franchise history. Plays No. 91-100 also feature ’s home run (and soccer celebration) in the MLB London Series (No. 91) and ’s walk-off grand slam against the Yankees (No. 92).