Fan Who Caught Shohei Ohtani's 50th Home Run Ball Seeks Shocking Sum at Auction

J.P. Hoornstra | Sep 25, 2024

Sep 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts to a standing ovation from the fans after hitting his 50th home run of the season against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning at loanDepot Park. / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

The unnamed fan who retrieved Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run from an area beyond the left-field fence at loanDepot Park last Thursday is taking the ball to auction this Friday.

The minimum bid: $500,000.

According to Goldin Auctions, potential buyers will have a chance to purchase the baseball outright for $4.5 million exclusively between Friday and Oct. 9. If bidding reaches $3 million prior to Oct. 9, the option to purchase privately will no longer be available, and interested parties must compete and bid for the baseball.

Extended bidding will begin at 7 p.m. PT on Oct. 16. To inquire about purchasing the baseball privately, buyers can email sell@goldin.com.

Last Thursday, Ohtani became the first known player in the history of Major League Baseball to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season. He achieved both milestones during the Dodgers’ 20-4 win over the Miami Marlins. Ohtani’s 6-for-6, three-homer, two-steal 10-RBI performance is considered one of the greatest individual games in the history of the sport.

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The Dodgers reportedly offered the fan $300,000 for the baseball, which he declined.

The lucky fan who walked away with the ball might not be the only interested party to benefit from the auction's proceeds. Max Matus, who was at the game celebrating his 18th birthday, told clict.com that the ball was stolen from him.

According to Newsweek, Matus might have a legal claim to the baseball based on the legal precedent set by the fans who split the proceeds from an auction of Barry Bonds' 73rd home run in 2001.

Suffice it to say, the journey of Ohtani's 50th home run ball only began with the 391 feet it traveled last Thursday in Miami.

“Ohtani is truly one-of-a-kind, and the 50-50 record may be his crowning achievement. We’re honored to bring this iconic item to collectors. This is a piece of baseball history that fans and historians around the world will remember for decades to come,” Ken Goldin, Founder and CEO of Goldin, said in a press release announcing the auction.

Major League Baseball took the almost unprecedented step of authenticating the Dodgers' game balls as Ohtani chased the historic 50-50 milestone. No known player has hit 50 home runs and stolen 50 bases in a single major league season, though the incomplete nature of Negro Leagues records casts some doubt on Ohtani's claim to history.