On Thursday, LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani made history, as he recorded the first ever 50-50 season. He sprinted to the finish line in his team's 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins, where he hit three home runs and stole two bases. Ohtani recorded a hit in each of his six plate appearances on the night.
As expected, the ball that Ohtani hit out of the park to reach the 50-50 mark is now a much-coveted piece of baseball history. According to sportscaster Andy Slater, the lucky fan in the stands who was able to get his hands on the ball reportedly refused an offer of $300,000 from the Dodgers organization in exchange for it.
If other similar events in baseball history are anything to go by, the lucky fan made a wise decision. When Aaron Judge broke the record for the most home runs in an AL season with his 62nd blast in 2022, the home run ball later sold at an auction for $1.5 Million.
Shohei Ohtani hits 52nd home run of the season as Dodgers win at home
The LA Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 6-4 at Dodger Stadium on Friday, as the hosts opened up the series with a win. In what was a bullpen game for the Dodgers, eight different pitchers took to the mound. The visitors were ahead 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth before the home team rallied for three runs.
The juggernaut that is Shohei Ohtani showed no signs of slowing down despite reaching the 50-50 mark on Thursday, as he hit another home run and stole another base in Friday's win. For the season, Ohtani has 52 HRs, 52 stolen bases, a .297 batting average and 122 RBIs.
Ohtani and the Dodgers will take on the Rockies again on Saturday, as they look to clinch their latest series with another victory. Walker Buehler will be sent to the mound for the hosts and will aim to follow up on a good start against the Atlanta Braves.