The ball from Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run of the 2024 season, which made the Los Angeles Dodgers star the first MLB player to ever record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season, is set to be put up for auction by Goldin beginning on Sept. 27. Bidding will open at $500,000, with prospective buyers also having the opportunity to purchase the ball outright for $4.5 million between Sept. 27 and Oct. 9.
Ohtani's home run ball, which was hit during a performance against the Miami Marlins in which he went 6 for 6 with two doubles, three homers, two steals, and 10 RBI, had originally been caught by a fan who had elected to keep the piece of memorabilia. In an apparent reversal of course, the fan has since given the ball to Goldin who has now put it up for sale for collectors, who could potentially break the record price for a home run ball set by the $3.005 million paid for Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball in 1998.
"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 statement.
Ohtani, who has become one of the most prolific baseball stars in the entire world after rising to stardom with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters before his move to the United States, was once again named an MLB All-Star for the 2024 season in his first as a member of the Dodgers.