Fastball

Shohei Ohtani's 51st Home Run Ball Just Sold For an Amazing Amount of Money

OK, so it wasn't the same as his 50th, but it's still pretty darn good...

Brady Farkas

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Stan Kasten applauds, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) to speaks to fans, in English, during the World Series Championship Celebration at Dodger Stadium on Nov 1.
Los Angeles Dodgers owner Stan Kasten applauds, designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) to speaks to fans, in English, during the World Series Championship Celebration at Dodger Stadium on Nov 1. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series in 2024, marking an incredible team accomplishment. It was the eighth title in franchise history for the Dodgers, who are one of the best-run organizations in sports.

However, the 2024 campaign also marked an incredible individual one for Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, who signed a $700 million deal before the 2024 season, became the first player ever to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single year. Ohtani ended the year with 54 homers and 59 steals.

Back in October, Ohtani's 50th home run ball sold for nearly $5 million, and now, his 51st home run ball has fetched a big price tag as well.

According to Darren Rovell of CLLCT, the ball sold for $427,000 at auction.

In most situations, a non-milestone ball wouldn't be that newsworthy, but No. 51 was hit in the ninth inning of Ohtani's famed 50-50 game, which is being called one of the greatest single performances in Major League Baseball history.

On Oct. 19, Ohtani, needed two steals and two homers to become the first major-leaguer to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. After getting the stolen bases out of the way early, Ohtani hit No. 49 in the sixth inning, No. 50 in the seventh inning and No. 51 in the ninth, en route to a 6-for-6 performance with 10 RBIs.

Home run No. 50 sold for $4,392,000, a record for any home run ball.

In addition to his record-setting speed and power, the 30-year-old Ohtani hit .310 as well. Part of the reason for Ohtani's huge season was that he was able to solely focus on offense because of his inability to pitch. With a hopeful return to the mound in 2025, he's not likely to replicate this offensive season, making it even more of an outlier in baseball history.

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

Published
Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

Home/History