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The baseball struck by Shohei Ohtani for his historic 50th home run of the season is set to go up for auction.
Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season last week as he continued a remarkable season for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The ball has been listed by auction house Goldin at a starting price $500,000 (£375,000) after being contacted by the fan who caught Ohtani’s homer.
There is an option to purchase the ball privately for $4.5m (£3.4m), which would set a new record for a baseball. Mark McGwire’s 70th home run ball from the 1998 season fetched $3.05m (£1.9m).
“Ohtani is truly one-of-a-kind, and the 50-50 record may be his crowning achievement,” said Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of the auction house. “This is a piece of baseball history that fans and historians around the world will remember for decades to come.”
Potential buyers will also have a chance to buy the ball outright between Friday and 9 October. If bidding reaches $3 million before then, the option to purchase the ball privately will no longer be available and buyers must bid for it. Extended bidding will begin on 16 October.
Ohtani’s remarkable feat was achieved during a 20-4 win over the Miami Marlins that saw the Japanese star bat in 10 runs and strike three home runs.
Already a two-time American League most valuable player, the 30-year-old is set to make his first postseason appearance after leading the Dodgers into the playoffs.
