Shohei Ohtani's Record-Setting Ball Reportedly Worth an Eye-Popping Sum
Shohei Ohtani has only been with the Los Angeles Dodgers for one season, but in that short amount of time the Japanese superstar has already set an MLB record and achieved something no other player in history has done before: notch 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
In the Dodgers' Sept. 19 game against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani officially reached the first-ever 50/50 milestone (and extended the record to 51 home runs by the end of the game). According to CBS Sports, the fan who caught the 50th homer ball did not return it to the Dodgers and is hanging onto it.
The fan is now in possession of a priceless reminder of a memory, but just how much could the ball theoretically sell for? David Kohler, the president of SCP Auctions, gave an estimate to TMZ of the ball's potential sale value at auction. Kohler and his team believe the ball would sell for approximately $500,000 if it were to go to auction.
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It was certainly an unforgettable night for Ohtani and baseball fans everywhere as he hit three home runs, scored four runs, hit 10 runs batted in, and stole two bases.
While the price is certainly nothing to sneeze at, it pales in comparison to other legendary baseballs sold at auction over the years. Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball, for example, sold for $3 million, while the first-ever MLB All-Star Game home run ball, hit by Babe Ruth, went for more than $800,000.
With nine games left in the Dodgers' season, Ohtani will likely extend his record even further, making it even harder for players coming after him to join the 50/50 (and up) club.