The fan who caught Shohei OhtaniThe historic 176th home run will enrich him even more … TMZ Sports has learned that the man wants to auction the ball – and he will probably make a small fortune from it!!
The guys from Heritage Auctions tell us … Jason Patino — who snagged the record-breaking baseball after Ohtani fired it his way in a win over the Mets on April 21 — is selling the memorabilia on his pad and estimates it will ultimately change hands for around $200,000.
Shohei Ohtani now holds the MLB record for most home runs by a Japanese-born player.
1. Shohei Ohtani (176)
2. Hideki Matsui (175)
3. Ichiro Suzuki (117)pic.twitter.com/NnZupuWfvm— Covers (@Covers) 21 April 2024
@Covers
The ball is of course very valuable … because it marked the official break of Hideki Matsui‘s MLB record for home runs by a Japanese-born batter.
And as for the ball itself, look at it… it’s pretty sweet. It has official MLB logos all over it, along with a holographic authentication sticker. It also has a handwritten “E” on it.
Some may wonder why Patino would give up such a gem, especially since he originally said he was going to keep it. Well, we’re told the potential six-figure price tag just made it too difficult for the man to hold onto it any longer.
Bidding officially begins August 23rd…good luck!!
