Shohei Ohtani belted his 32nd home run of the season on July 11 against the Giants. Though the Dodgers ultimately lost the game 8-7, the blast added another moonshot to Ohtani’s personal tally—this time, a splashdown into McCovey Cove, a feat previously missing from his personal stats. Coincidentally, the ball landed in the hands of the same fan who caught a similar homer by Max Muncy.
Fans in kayaks are a common sight in the body of water behind Oracle Park, eagerly awaiting a home run that lands in the water. Ohtani delivered, and his ball ended up with a fan who dove into the water to retrieve it.
That same fan, identified as Brad Leonard, now possesses at least two splashdown balls from Dodgers players. Max Muncy hit a splash home run in 2021, and no other Dodger had managed the feat since.
How Much Could Ohtani’s Splashdown Ball Be Worth?
This particular Shohei Ohtani home run ball might be more valuable than some of his others, given that it’s his first splashdown homer. It’s still unknown if the fan who caught it will sell it. However, the ball from the Japanese star’s 50th career moonshot sold for $4.39 million. That high price wasn’t just because it was a home run, but also because it marked his historic 50-50 record (50 homers and 50 stolen bases).
Ohtani Remains Firm on HR Leaderboard
For now, Ohtani holds the third spot in the home run standings with 32 moonshots, trailing Aaron Judge, who has 35. He remains a bit behind the first spot, currently occupied by Cal Raleigh with 38 home runs. Additionally, Eugenio Suárez is dangerously close with 31 homers in fourth place, and Kyle Schwarber also poses a constant threat.
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Shohei Ohtani's net worth: How wealthy is the Los Angeles Dodgers' designated hitter?
