Shohei Ohtani has not necessarily had a smashing start to his career as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers after signing a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract this past winter.
It started with a scandal developing as Ohtani and his Dodgers opened the regular season in South Korea against the San Diego Padres last month.
Reports broke that Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara was being accused of stealing millions from the MLB star to cover gambling debts. The scandal has taken on new life with MLB opening an investigation and Ohtani potentially facing criminal charges despite the reigning American League MVP’s continued proclamation of innocence.
We can now add another scandal to the mix a mere nine games into his career with Los Angeles. Ohtani hit his first regular-season home run as a member of the team Wednesday against the rival San Francisco Giants. It was an entire scene inside Dodger Stadium.
What followed was more drama surrounding perhaps the best player in modern Major League Baseball history.
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Ambar Roman was the lucky fan who ended up with the home run ball Wednesday night in LA. She pumped her fist in the air and looked like a kid in a candy shop.
“Sitting in the pavilion, you always hope that you’ll be able to catch a ball,” Roman told The Athletic on Thursday. “But never in a million years would I have thought it would have been his ball.”
The problem? Issues arose between Roman and Dodgers officials as they engaged in a back-and-forth over compensation for the ball. It’s typical in these situations.
However, the initial offer from Dodgers officials was considered to be low-ball by Roman and her husband. It included two Dodgers hats signed by Ohtani. They even threatened to refuse to authenticate the ball if she did not accept the offer. That’s no small thing. With it authenticated, it would auction off at $100,000.
“We’re not trying to extort anyone. It’s not that we’re money hungry,” Roman’s husband, Alexis Valenzuela said. “It’s just that it’s a special moment, it’s a special ball. I just think it’s fair for it to be equally rewarded.”
The two did leave Dodger Stadium with two signed hats, a signed bat and a signed ball.
The larger issue here? Ohtani told media after the game that he was able to talk to the fan.
“I was able to talk to the fan, and was able to get it back,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “Obviously it’s a very special ball, a lot of feelings toward it, I’m very grateful that it’s back.”
The couple noted that they never met or talked with the star two-way player.