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Shohei Ohtani ended Wednesday’s Dodgers game in spectacular fashion, sending the first pitch he saw from Atlanta Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias 399 feet over the center-field wall for a walk-off home run and a 6-5 win.
It just so happened that everyone who witnessed that moment at Dodger Stadium had a tiny replica of the Japanese superstar in their possession, as all fans in attendance with a valid ticket were given an Ohtani bobblehead commemorating the National League most valuable player award he received last year.
What a wonderful memento for those folks!
Or in some cases, what a wonderful money-making opportunity!
The Dodgers did a lot wrong and dug a big hole against the Braves, but Shohei Ohtani’s walk-off home run helped extend the team’s perfect start.
The Ohtani MVP bobbleheads — which feature a smiling Ohtani in his Dodgers uniform, holding his MVP award in his right hand and resting a bat on his shoulder with his left hand — have been a hot seller on the resale market, with more than 250 sold on eBay since Wednesday.
As of Thursday morning, the most paid for the standard bobblehead was $299.99, while some lucky fan got a bargain at $90. The majority seemed to sell in the $150 to $170 range.
A limited number of bobbleheads featuring Ohtani holding a silver bat appear to have been handed out as well. A handful of those variants also have sold on eBay, for prices ranging from $499 to $900.
The Dodgers declined to comment for this story.
A Topps baseball card featuring Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50-50 milestone, a patch from the pants he wore that game and his autograph became the Dodgers star’s first to top $1 million at auction.
During a postgame interview with Spectrum SportsNet, Ohtani brought up the bobbleheads while answering a question about his game-winning hit that helped the Dodgers improve to 8-0.
“One of the fans was telling me, ‘It’s your bobblehead night, so you better get a hit,’” Ohtani said in Japanese through interpreter Will Ireton. “So I’m glad I was able to do that.”
If you’re still in the market for an Ohtani MVP bobblehead, fear not. There are more than 100 still for sale on eBay. Many of the standard models are available for buy-it-now prices ranging from $143 to $500, while others are up for bid with final prices yet to be determined.
A number of silver-bat variations are listed as well, with price tags ranging from $699 to $1,450.
Plaschke: Who says the Dodgers can’t go 162-0? Dramatic win over Braves extends a perfect start
After struggling early against the Braves, the Dodgers showed they still have championship spirit as they rallied for a win and look unbeatable.
The Dodgers are handing out Ohtani bobbleheads at Dodger Stadium four more times this season — twice to commemorate him becoming the first player to reach 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases (May 15 vs. the Athletics and Aug. 27 vs. the Cincinnati Reds), once to commemorate his 2024 World Series ring (Aug. 6 vs. the St. Louis Cardinals) and one more time (Sept. 10 vs. the Colorado Rockies).
Ohtani items seem to hold special value for collectors. An Ohtani Topps Dynasty Black baseball card featuring his signature in gold and a patch from the pants he wore while reaching the 50-50 milestone last season sold for $1.07 million this month, while his 50th home run ball was auctioned for $4.392 million in October.
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