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Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani created the 50-50 club last week. He stroked his 50th home run after stealing his 50th base, becoming the first player to reach both plateaus in the same season. The home run ball went to a fan who refused to give it back to the Dodgers. Now, he is facing a lawsuit as he tries to auction off the Ohtani ball, per Darren Rovell of cllct.
“…attorneys for 18-year-old Max Matus filed a lawsuit against [Goldin Auctions CEO Ken] Goldin and the man who emerged with the ball, Chris Belanski, and his friend who is marketing the ball, Kelvin Ramirez, saying the ball was in fact Matus' first. The suit was filed in the 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Dade County, Florida,” Rovell wrote.”
The auction is set to begin on Friday with an opening bid of $500,000. The ball can be bought at any point before October 9 for $4.5 million. The goal of the suit is to stop the sale of the ball and Matus hopes to recover custody too.
While this may seem like a bit much for a ball, it is difference-making money. ESPN reported that the Dodgers offered Belanski $300,000 for the ball and he declined, which seems like the right move considering the prices floated by the auction house.
Dodgers get return on investment with Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani signed a ridiculous $700 million contract to play for the Dodgers this winter. While so much of the money is deferred, they still need to see a return on that investment. As he closes out his third MVP season without pitching, they certainly have started on the right foot.
Both Ohtani bobblehead nights drew massive crowds and remarkably long lines to get in. Those artifacts are on sale for hundreds of dollars on the internet. Number 17 jerseys are plentiful in the crowd and his legacy as an international superstar has been cemented.
Next year, Ohtani is likely to resume his career as a two-way player. While his stolen base numbers will probably take a hit, his value as a pitcher and elite hitter is unmatched in the history of baseball. The National League MVP award will likely live in Hollywood for a long time.
Ahead of his first playoff appearance, Ohtani is finishing off what could be his best season yet. If he is an October star, he will immediately enter the conversation with the greatest players to ever play baseball. While that is a big if, there is no evidence that his magic will run out this fall.
