Shohei Ohtani has delivered a season for the ages, becoming the first player in the more than 120-year history of Major League Baseball to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.
For one fan who was in attendance for the Japanese superstar's record-breaking home run, Ohtani's success may deliver a multimillion-payday.
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That's because the baseball that Ohtani crushed for his 50th homer on Sept. 19 is up for sale, with Goldin Auctions calling it "one of the most significant pieces of modern baseball memorabilia to come to auction."
The starting bid for the historic ball — the most valuable from Ohtani's incredible 6-for-6, 3-home-run and 10 RBI performance — is $500,000.
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"This offered baseball is truly a one-of-a-kind specimen, a crowning piece for any game-used memorabilia collection," the listing for the authenticated memorabilia reads. "The baseball exhibits excellent game use, with black scuffing and surface abrasions present throughout the white leather surface."
The auction will run from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9, with extended bidding taking place on Oct. 16. You can view the listing here.
An eager buyer looking to skip the auction can do just that, provided they are willing to pay a whopping $4.5 million. But even that seven-figure sum might not be enough. If the bidding crosses $3 million, the option to purchase the ball will disappear.
Money Report
The $3 million figure represents the highest price ever paid for a baseball when Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball sold in 1999.
If you don't have several million dollars to bid on Ohtani's home run ball, don't worry. The Dodgers $700 million man recently signed a trading card deal with Topps which will include autographed and game-used memorabilia cards.
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