Ohtani’s 50th home run ball sells for record $4.4m amid legal battle for ownership

Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball has sold at auction for nearly $4.4 million, a record price not just for a baseball but for any ball in any sport, the auctioneer said Wednesday.

Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, reaching the milestone on September 19 when the Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second of three home runs against the Marlins.

“We received bids from around the world, a testament to the significance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s impact on the sport, and I am thrilled with the winning bidder,” said Ken Goldin, the CEO of auctioneer Goldin Auctions in a statement.

The auction began on September 27 with a starting bid of $500,000 and closed just after midnight on Wednesday. The auctioneer said he could not release any information about the winning bidder.

The auction was overshadowed by the lawsuits over ownership of the ball. Christian Zacek walked out of LoanDepot Park in Miami with the ball after gaining possession in the left field bleachers. Max Matus and Joseph Davidov each claim in separate lawsuits that they grabbed the ball first. All parties involved in the lawsuit agreed that the auction should go ahead.

Matus’ lawsuit claims the Florida native — who was celebrating his 18th birthday — gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Zacek took it away. Davidov claims in his lawsuit that he was able to “grasp the ball firmly and completely with his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully gaining possession of the 50/50 ball.”

Ohtani and the Dodgers are preparing for Game 1 of the World Series, which is scheduled for Friday evening.