Legal Battle Erupts Over Shohei Ohtani's 50th Home Run Ball as Auction Proceeds

Max Matus, an 18-year-old baseball fan, has taken legal action to stop the auction of Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 home run ball, which is set to begin on Friday. The historic ball, marking Ohtani’s 50th home run of the season, is expected to draw bids starting at $500,000.

Matus claims in a lawsuit filed in Florida that the ball, which is now in the hands of another fan, Chris Belanski, was wrongfully taken from him during the September 19 game at loanDepot Park in Miami. The suit, which also names Belanski’s friend, Kelvin Ramirez, alleges that Matus initially gained possession of the ball before Belanski “forcefully” wrestled it away.
According to the lawsuit, Matus—who was attending the game to celebrate his 18th birthday—had “firmly grabbed” the ball with his left hand when Belanski intervened, using his arm to pry it away from Matus’s grasp. Matus is now seeking to stop the auction and has requested that the ball be placed in a secure location agreed upon by all parties until the court reaches a decision.

Despite the legal action, Goldin Auctions, the New Jersey-based auction house responsible for selling the ball, plans to proceed with the sale. On Thursday, a Miami judge denied Matus’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have halted the auction, allowing it to continue as planned.
Goldin responded to the lawsuit in a statement to ESPN, saying, "We are aware of the case that has been filed. Having reviewed the allegations and images included in the lawsuit, and publicly available video from the game, Goldin plans to go live with the auction of the Ohtani 50/50 ball."

The 11th Judicial Circuit Court in Miami-Dade County will allow Matus’s legal team to argue their case before the auction ends on October 16. If they succeed, Matus could potentially receive a share of the profits from the ball’s sale.
Ken Goldin, CEO of Goldin Auctions, revealed that Belanski contacted them the day after Ohtani’s milestone game to set up the auction. According to Fox Sports 640’s Andy Slater, the Los Angeles Dodgers had offered Belanski $300,000 for the ball, but he turned it down in favor of auctioning it.

The auction kicks off with a “buy-it-now” price of $4.5 million, available through October 9. If bids reach $3 million before that date, the buy-it-now option will be removed, and the bidding will continue until October 16.
As the auction proceeds, Matus’s lawsuit adds a new dimension to the unfolding saga of one of the year’s most significant sports memorabilia sales. Collectors, baseball fans, and legal experts alike will be closely watching as the case develops.

Bid on the ball at Goldin