LOS ANGELES (KTLA) — Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani hit a historic home run on Thursday, and a lucky fan could get a historic payday.
Ohtani, the $700 million man and likely 2024 National League Most Valuable Player, became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season on Thursday. He finished the pursuit of that milestone with a monstrous 6-hit, 3-home run game in Miami against the Marlins.
The 50/50 season was achieved with a home run to right field. The ball initially took a bounce in a pitching bullpen before landing in the stands, giving fans a mad scramble to grab that historic baseball.
That piece of cork wrapped in cowhide might as well be made of gold, as it could fetch an unheard-of amount at auction. One lucky fan was able to get his hands on it and wisely bolted out of the stadium, according to reports.
“The fan who caught Shohei Ohtani’s 50th Home Run baseball has opted to walk away with it,” said reporter Craig Mish, who covers the Marlins. “Dodgers did not get it back.”
Andy Slater, who hosts a talk show on South Florida-based radio station FoxSports640, reported that the Dodgers offered the unidentified fan $300,000 for the baseball.
As users on X commented, the Dodgers might have to add a zero to that number.
The prices of historic sports memorabilia have skyrocketed in recent years. Just last month, the jersey worn by New York Yankees legend Babe Ruth sold for more than $24 million at auction.
Ohtani’s 50/50 ball likely won’t reach heights quite that high, but it’s safe to say that the fan who caught it could receive a nice payday in the near future.
As of Sept. 21, Ohtani has already recorded 52 home runs and 53 stolen bases, with seven games left in the regular season.