Dodgers attempt to avoid another Shohei Ohtani home run ball disaster ends poorly
The Los Angeles Dodgers avoided another Shohei Ohtani home run ball disaster. Nonetheless, it didn't end well for Ohtani.
By Mark Powell
The Los Angeles Dodgers desperate attempt to retain Shohei Ohtani's first home run ball did not go according to plan. First, the Dodgers reportedly threatened not to authenticate the ball, and made one of their own fans rather uncomfortable throughout the process.
“We’re not trying to extort anyone. It’s not that we’re money hungry,” Ambar Roman's husband, Alexis Valenzuela, said, per The Athletic ($). “It’s just that it’s a special moment, it’s a special ball. I just think it’s fair for it to be equally rewarded...I was just disappointed that a team that I hold so dear pulled a quote-unquote quick one on us."
Ohtani's interpreter then claimed that the Dodgers star had met with the fans who caught his first ball, which was not the case.
Dodgers do the right thing with Shohei Ohtani's latest historic home run
With his home run on Sunday against the New York Mets, Ohtani surpassed Hideki Matsui for the most homers as a Japanese-born player.
Shohei Ohtani stands alone with the most Major League home runs ever by a Japanese-born player! pic.twitter.com/sSzlp2K3Wt
— MLB (@MLB) April 21, 2024
Ohtani's blast was just the latest of what's expected to be many accolades achieved in Dodger blue. This time around, the Dodgers did everything by the book with Ohtani's home run ball, hoping to avoid bad press in the process. Unfortunately, it did not go as planned for Ohtani.
The Dodgers did authenticate Ohtani's home run ball, which was a classy move by the organization. However, the fan who caught Ohtani's homer elected to keep it rather than give it to the player in exchange for some signed gear, which is custom.
Andy Pages got the ball from his first MLB HR. Fan who got Shohei Ohtani’s record-breaking HR ball had it authenticated and elected to keep it. #Dodgers
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) April 21, 2024
Shohei Ohtani should get his history-making home run ball
After passing Matsui, Ohtani was relieved to surpass a player who has been an idle to so many Japanese-born baseball players.
"Honestly I was just relieved I was able to just get it over with, I was just happy I was able to do that," Ohtani said through his interpreter.
While it may take some convincing and finances to do so, hopefully Ohtani can get his hands on that memorabilia someday, as he's now in a league of his own among Japanese-born players in MLB.
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