Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani continues to turn heads around baseball for his performances at the plate and on the mound.
He just recently surpassed 300 home runs in his career between the United States and Japan. Now, the baseball is expected to sell for an expensive price tag which should not be surprising since his 50-50 ball sold for $4.39 million.
“We expect this ball to sell for six figures, and since Ohtani collectors pay strong prices for the ‘best of the best,’ I wouldn’t be surprised if it sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Jordan Gilroy, Director of Acquisitions at Lelands Sports Memorabilia and Card Auction, per SI.com. “The 50-50 ball sold for so much since Ohtani was the only player to hit the 50-50 milestone, so it put the value in a category of its own.”
Ohtani is one of the most popular players in Major League Baseball, and he continues to produce this season. He’s recorded a slash line of .276/.380/.601 with a 170 OPS+ as well as 38 home runs and 73 RBI entering Wednesday. His continued success is why the ball is being auctioned instead of enshrined into Cooperstown.
“Striking the iron while it’s hot always results in the best outcome, and the Ohtani iron has been red hot since he came into MLB,” said Gilroy. “When someone hits a milestone home run, that event is fresh in people’s minds and hype is at an all-time high, so that’s the best time to sell. If he continues to perform at the same level, this could become a half million or even a million-dollar baseball.”
Ohtani’s name is in the heart of the conversation for National League Most Valuable Player as baseball begins the penultimate month of the regular season.
His baseball will be on the auction until Aug. 16, and baseball fans around the world can access the bidding site here.
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