“They really took advantage of her” - Dodgers fan's husband says wife was 'cornered' into giving away Shohei Ohtani's home run ball

The joy of catching a historic baseball at an MLB game turned into a nightmare for Ambar Roman and her husband, Alexis Valenzuela, who have been LA Dodgers fans their whole lives. Roman found herself under pressure and stress after catching Shohei Ohtani’s first home run as a Dodger.

Tradition says that when a fan catches a big home run ball, the team or hitter, and the lucky individual usually engage in negotiations. However, Roman and Valenzuela claim that instead of a fair discussion, Dodgers security staff put a lot of pressure on them and even separated the couple.

"They really took advantage of her. There were a lot of guys around her," Alexis Valenzuela told The Athletic on Thursday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly only offered two caps signed by Ohtani at first, despite the ball being believed to be worth at least $100,000.

Roman eventually agreed to a package deal that included a signed ball and bat after feeling trapped and helpless. She expressed disappointment at the lack of transparency regarding authentication, a crucial factor in determining the memorabilia’s value.

"They didn’t want him to influence my decision, at least that’s how I took it," Roman said about being separated by security guards.

Shohei Ohtani seemed to hint at conversing with the fan after the game but the exchange never happened

After the game, Shohei Ohtani seemed to hint that he had conversed with Roman. However, despite his words, the couple stated that they never met Ohtani. This discrepancy has raised a lot of controversy, especially in the middle of Ohtani's investigation regarding his possible involvement in an illegal gambling scandal.

Shohei Ohtani hit his first home run of the 2024 season against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.

This recent situation sheds light on the Dodgers’ relationship with their fans. It also puts Ohtani in the eye of the media once more. While the couple expressed gratitude for the memorabilia they got in return, they couldn’t help but feel let down by the team they’ve supported for years.

This incident shows that there is a need for clearer MLB rules regarding fans in these kinds of scenarios.

Despite the whole drama, Roman and Valenzuela remain hopeful that their actions will remain appreciated in the long run. They also expressed happiness about the once-in-a-lifetime memory of catching such an important home run ball.