After a fan caught Shohei Ohtani’s first home run as a Los Angeles Dodger, the team faced backlash for their treatment of the fan. In response, the Dodgers reached out to Ambar Roman and her husband, Alexis Valenzuela, inviting them for an on-field experience at Dodger Stadium and stating they would review their processes for milestone baseball retrieval. Roman explained that stadium security personnel separated her from Valenzuela and pressured her to decide the fate of the milestone ball she caught.
This incident shed light on a league-wide issue regarding the handling of milestone balls. Without a consistent protocol in place, fans may face challenges in having their souvenirs authenticated. Examples include a Milwaukee Brewers fan who purchased Aaron Judge’s 59th home run ball but was denied authentication request by both Milwaukee and New York personnel. Similarly, a St. Louis Cardinals fan who caught Albert Pujols’ 703rd career home run was offered an autographed ball in exchange, but he declined, leading to authentication difficulties under MLB’s existing protocols.
MLB has strict guidelines for how milestone balls should be handled, and authenticators play a vital role in tracking and documenting the history of each ball. They affix a unique hologram to the ball’s surface, allowing for a traceable record of its journey within MLB’s system. However, once a ball leaves the field and its chain of custody cannot be tracked, authentication becomes a challenge. It remains unclear whether stadium security personnel are effectively communicating this process to fans seeking authentication for their souvenirs.
The Dodgers’ public acknowledgment of mishandling the situation may lead to positive changes within the league and prompt other organizations to establish clear protocols for handling milestone balls in the future. The incident involving Shohei Ohtani’s home run serves as a catalyst for addressing the issue and ensuring that fans who catch milestone baseballs are treated fairly and transparently. By highlighting the inconsistencies in how different teams handle such situations, the spotlight is on the league to implement guidelines that protect the authenticity and value of milestone balls for fans.
