Shohei Ohtani’s 50/50 home run ball sells for record $4.4M

Shohei’s Ohtani’s 50th location tally shot sold for a grounds $4.39 million successful an auction that closed Wednesday morning.

The merchantability shattered the erstwhile record-high terms for a baseball, which was $3 cardinal for Mark McGwire’s 70th location tally ball from the 1998 season.

Ohtani became the first subordinate successful MLB past to deed 50 homers and bargain 50 bases successful the aforesaid play connected Sept. 19 against the Miami Marlins. The Los Angeles Dodgers prima reached the people with his 2nd homer successful that game, a weaponry to near field.

The winning bidder was not revealed; the auction opened Sept. 27 with a minimum bid of $500,000.

“We received bids from astir the world, a testament to the value of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s interaction connected sports, and I’m thrilled for the winning bidder,” said Ken Goldin, laminitis of Goldin Auctions, which handled the sale.

Ownership of the 50th location tally shot was heavy contested and is inactive being debated successful court. While Christian Zacek walked retired of the ballpark with the ball and turned it implicit to Goldin Auctions for sale, 2 men person sued him and claimed they had it archetypal and truthful had the close to merchantability it.

Lawsuits from Max Matus and Joseph Davidov were enactment connected clasp arsenic all parties progressive agreed to spell up with the auction. The wealth volition beryllium successful a controlled relationship until the lawsuits are resolved, portion the auction purchaser volition instrumentality afloat ownership of the ball.

Ohtani, 30, and the Los Angeles Dodgers volition open the World Series connected Friday astatine location against the New York Yankees. Ohtani is expected to commencement astatine designated hitter and bat leadoff for the Dodgers.

With News Wire Services