A split-second decision to abandon nachos paid off big for one Dodgers fan—and now, Shohei Ohtani's record-setting NLCS home run ball is up for auction. In Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, Carlo Mendoza found himself choosing between finishing his snack or chasing a piece of history. He chose the latter, diving into the Dodger Stadium bushes to grab the second of Ohtani's three home runs in a game that also saw Ohtani strike out 10 over six innings, per the Athletic. Mendoza's quick move could now net him a fortune—the ball hit SCP Auctions this week with a starting bid of $200,000 and expectations it could fetch between $1 million and $2 million before bidding ends Nov. 22.
The ball was officially found to have soared 469 feet before landing, though some insist it went even farther. "That ball was at least 500 feet. That's the farthest ball I've ever seen hit," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said after the game, per the Robb Report, which notes that the homer was among Dodger Stadium's longest ever.
SCP—which previously sold Barry Bonds' 756th home run ball and Freddie Freeman's walk-off grand slam from the '24 World Series—went to unusual lengths to authenticate the ball, per the Times. Because it sailed beyond the sight line of MLB's official authenticators, Mendoza got it stamped at the stadium and later passed a polygraph test arranged by the auction house. The ball also comes with a notarized affidavit from Mendoza.
story continues below
For comparison, Ohtani's 50th home run ball from the 2024 season sold for a record $4.39 million, while a separate Ohtani memento—the ball from his first World Series strikeout as a pitcher—recently sold for $175,010. SCP is also offering up two more historic Dodgers home run balls, snagged by a father-son duo during the team's recent World Series win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
