Shohei’s Ohtani’s 50th home run ball sold for a record $4.39 million in an auction that closed Wednesday morning.
The sale shattered the previous record-high price for a baseball, which was $3 million for Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball from the 1998 season.
Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in the same season on Sept. 19 against the Miami Marlins. The Los Angeles Dodgers star reached the mark with his second homer in that game, a bomb to left field.
The winning bidder was not revealed; the auction opened Sept. 27 with a minimum bid of $500,000.
“We received bids from around the world, a testament to the significance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s impact on sports, and I’m thrilled for the winning bidder,” said Ken Goldin, founder of Goldin Auctions, which handled the sale.
Ownership of the 50th home run ball was heavily contested and is still being debated in court. While Christian Zacek walked out of the ballpark with the ball and turned it over to Goldin Auctions for sale, two men have sued him and claimed they had it first and therefore had the right to sell it.
Lawsuits from Max Matus and Joseph Davidov were put on hold as all parties involved agreed to go ahead with the auction. The money will sit in a controlled account until the lawsuits are resolved, while the auction buyer will take full ownership of the ball.
Ohtani, 30, and the Los Angeles Dodgers will open the World Series on Friday at home against the New York Yankees. Ohtani is expected to start at designated hitter and bat leadoff for the Dodgers.