In a thrilling display of offensive power and versatility, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani lit up the plate Monday night in Washington, coming within inches of baseball history. The two-way phenom fell just a double short of hitting for the cycle, leaving fans and analysts alike in awe of his extraordinary talent.

Ohtani, who has been relatively quiet at the plate in recent outings, reignited his momentum in a big way at Nationals Park. He opened the game with a scorching single, followed by a towering home run that had the stadium buzzing. In later at-bats, Ohtani added a blistering triple, putting him one hit away — a double — from completing one of baseball’s rarest feats: the cycle.

Though he didn’t manage to grab that elusive fourth type of hit, Ohtani’s performance was more than enough to fuel the Dodgers’ offense and secure a much-needed victory. The crowd, split between awe and agony, recognized the magnitude of what they had just witnessed.

“It’s always exciting when Shohei steps up like that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game. “He can change the course of a game with one swing — or in this case, three very different swings.”

With the win, Ohtani continues to silence critics who doubted his ability to maintain elite production after a busy offseason and team changes. His near-cycle reaffirms not only his place as a fan favorite, but also as one of the most dynamic forces in Major League Baseball today.

As the season progresses, all eyes will remain on Ohtani — both for his continued offensive fireworks and his unique ability to contribute on the mound as well. Monday night was just another reminder: when Shohei Ohtani is locked in, anything is possible.