Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers watch historic 50-50 club baseball literally leave ballpark

Shohei Ohtani has lived up to the hype and then some since arriving in MLB from Japan. Just when we thought there was nothing left for Ohtani to accomplish, he did something no player in history had done before — join the 50-50 club. And he did so in the first year of his 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani recorded his 50th home run and 50th stolen base on the season after a monstrous home run to left-center field in the top of the seventh inning. With that, the baseball would undoubtedly head back to Ohtani for him to cherish.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case.

According to Craig Mish of SportsGrid, the fan who caught Ohtani's 50th home run of the season didn't give the baseball back to the Dodgers. Instead, they walked out of loanDepot Park with it.

Fan who caught Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run of season opts against returning baseball to Dodgers

And with that, the baseball became that much more expensive to secure.

The last time a historic home run left the stadium with a fan was back in 2022 when the New York Yankees were unable to get back Aaron Judge's American League-record 62nd home run of that season. Instead, the fan who caught the baseball at Globe Life Field put it up for auction and received $1.5 million for it.

One has to wonder if Ohtani's 50th homer of the season will have the same fate — up for auction.

Ohtani had a ridiculous Thursday afternoon. the Dodgers' designated hitter and favorite to win the National League MVP this season went six-for-six with three home runs, four runs, and 10 RBI in the 20-4 win. As a result of this win, the Dodgers clinched a postseason berth. Oh, and Ohtani has 51 home runs and 51 stolen bases on the season, total, after this game.

Even if the Dodgers or Ohtani have the baseball, the history books will remember that he was the first player ever to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.