Shohei Ohtani's unprecedented 50-50 souvenir is available for bidding – with a price tag of $4.5 million.
On September 19, the standout LA Dodgers player broke new ground, smashing his 50th home run of the season and nabbing his 50th base steal in an outstanding hitting showdown against the Miami Marlins. This was his inaugural three-homer game and 10-RBI game, marking a significant milestone in his career.
The Dodgers cruised past Miami in the game, winning 20-4, securing a spot in the playoffs – a first for Ohtani in his postseason journey, having missed out in each of his previous six years with the LA Angels.
The game-used ball is now up for sale, with bids starting at a hefty $500,000. However, eager collectors can purchase it privately for an astronomical $4.5 million.
The auction begins September 27 at noon ET and concludes October 16. Any potential private purchasers of the baseball have until October 9 at 10 p.m. ET to cough up the $4.5 million, after which it will switch exclusively to the auction.
If this ball were to sell for the private purchase price, it would shatter the previous record of $3.005 million, which was paid for Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball back in January 1999.
According to auctioneers Goldin, this ball is "the ultimate addition to any game-used memorabilia collection," and it bears "black scuffing and surface abrasions all over its white leather surface."
In the auction listing, Goldin stated, "Ohtani's achievement isn't just a testament to his prowess in the domestic venue but also his international fame that transcends borders and languages."
They further added, "Ohtani's achievement doesn't belong to him alone; it's a global phenomenon."
Ken Goldin, the founder and CEO of Goldin, shared with ESPN that this was "one of the easiest consignments we've ever had."
"Ohtani hit 50 homers on Thursday, by Friday we had a call from him, he reached out to Goldin through social media, sent a security guard down to Miami on Monday with a Goldin representative, met him, and flew back on Monday," Goldin recounted.
Two-time AL MVP Ohtani is the sole member of the prestigious 50-50 club, though some fans are hoping he can push it to 60-60.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts declared this achievement "very unrealistic," but with Ohtani, "anything's possible."
"But it's certainly very unrealistic. It's just, man, what a phenomenal season," Roberts said in a pregame press conference.
Since then, Ohtani has pushed his mark to 53 home runs and 56 stolen bases, with only four games left in the regular season.
The closest anyone has come to the 50-50 mark was the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., who swiped 73 bases and hit 41 home runs in 2023, and Alex Rodriguez, who hit 42 home runs and stole 46 bases in 1998 while with the Seattle Mariners.
CNN's George Ramsay contributed to this report.
The Dodgers' success on the field, led by Ohtani's impressive 50-home run, 50-steal season, has ignited excitement for the sports community. This unprecedented achievement has catapulted Ohtani into the limelight, making him a global sports icon.
