The ball, hit in September, marked the first time a player achieved 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

The auction, hosted by Goldin, attracted 40 bids from across the globe. The winning bid surpassed the previous record for any baseball, solidifying the ball’s place in sports memorabilia history.

Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star player, hit the milestone home run against the Florida Marlins on 19 September 2024. The ball, authenticated by MLB, shows significant wear and tear from the game.

The identity of the buyer remains undisclosed. The sale proceeded despite an ongoing legal dispute over the ball’s ownership, with multiple individuals claiming to have initially retrieved it.