How much is Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50-50 home run ball worth?
We’re about to find out.
The baseball that the Dodgers superstar and two-time AL MVP hit for his historic 50th home run of the season is going up for auction later this month.
Ohtani sent the ball over the outfield fence in a Sept. 19 game for the ages against the Miami Marlins, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. In what’s widely considered one of the greatest single-game performances of all time, Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, two doubles and a staggering 10 RBI in a Dodgers rout that was mind-boggling, even for Ohtani’s high standards.
The ball triggered a scrum among fans, one of whom came up with the high-value home run ball. Ohtani entered the game needing two home runs and one stolen base to reach the 50-50 mark.
Goldin/Getty
The 50-50 home run ball will be auctioned by the Goldin company starting Friday 9 a.m. PT. The opening bid is set at $500,000 with an option to purchase the ball outright for $4.5 million until Oct. 9. If bids reach $3 million before Oct. 9, the private purchase option will be off the table and bidders can compete, which could drive of the value of the historic piece of sports memorabilia.
Extended bidding will begin Oct. 16.
The person who ended up with the ball was escorted by security from the ballpark by security and brought it to Goldin within a week, Goldin said. The cosignor was not identified by Goldin.
“Ohtani is truly one-of-a-kind, and the 50-50 record may be his crowning achievement,” said Ken Goldin, CEO of the auction company. “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.”
Photos of the game ball show black scuff marks on the white leather surface. The ball has a MLB hologram used for authentication.
