When Shohei Ohtani took the mound and stepped to the plate in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS, he didn’t just have a great night — he delivered a performance that already has many calling it the greatest single-game showing in Major League Baseball history.
Here are five of the most remarkable individual game performances ever — with Ohtani’s two-way masterpiece at the top of the list.
1. Shohei Ohtani – Oct. 17, 2025, for the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers
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Ohtani pitched six shutout innings, allowing two hits, walking three, and striking out 10.
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At the plate, he went 3-for-3 with three solo home runs (in the 1st, 4th and 7th innings) as the Dodgers clinched the pennant with a 5-1 victory.
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He became the first player in MLB history — regular season or postseason — to hit three home runs in a game while also fanning 10 batters as a pitcher.
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Many observers declared this “the greatest individual game in postseason history.”
Why it leads the list:
Because Ohtani didn’t just dominate in one phase — he owned the mound and the batter’s box on the biggest stage. That level of two-way dominance in a postseason clincher elevates this to a unique territory.
2. Rick Wise – June 23, 1971, for the Philadelphia Phillies
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Wise pitched a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds.
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He also hit two home runs in that same game, becoming one of the very few pitchers ever to do so.
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It stands as an extraordinary example of a pitcher contributing at the plate in unusual fashion.
3. Tony Cloninger – July 3, 1966, for the Atlanta Braves
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Cloninger hit two grand slams in the same game, becoming the first player in MLB history to do so.
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He also pitched a complete game and drove in nine runs in that game.
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Rarely does a pitcher contribute so heavily on offense and deliver dominant pitching.
4. Mark Whiten – Sept. 7, 1993, for the St. Louis Cardinals
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Whiten hammered four home runs in the game and drove in 12 runs, tying the MLB single-game RBI record. Wikipedia
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A monster offensive outing that still ranks among the all-time individual performances.
5. Reggie Jackson – Oct. 18, 1977, in Game 6 of the World Series for the New York Yankees
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Jackson smashed three home runs on three consecutive pitches in the 6th, 4th, and 8th innings, all off the same pitcher, securing the series for the Yankees.
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His nickname “Mr. October” was sealed that night — a clutch historic performance on perhaps the biggest stage.
Why Ohtani’s day stands above the rest
While the others on this list delivered performances that will never be forgotten, Ohtani’s night checks every box: historic two-way dominance, postseason context, an achievement never before seen, and a game that will live forever. It’s not just “one of the best” — it may very well be the best.
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