Shohei Ohtani home run ball could fetch $200K at auction

Jason Patino, a fan who caught Shohei Ohtani’s historic 176th career home run ball, is reportedly auctioning the ball on Heritage Auctions, with bids starting at $50,000 on Aug. 23.

Patino initially planned to keep the ball but changed his mind after realizing its potential market value, which experts estimate could reach $200,000. Ohtani recorded the homer in the third inning of a 10-0 win over the New York Mets on April 21, surpassing Hideki Matsui for most home runs by a Japanese-born MLB player. “I took a while to get this point since my last homer, so just honestly, happy, relieved,” he told MLB.com following his victory. Ohtani’s memorabilia, including a baseball card signed by both him and Babe Ruth, fetched more than $110,000 in January.