Shohei Ohtani's historic 50-50 ball sells at auction for nearly $4.4M amid ongoing dispute over ownership

The ball Ohtani used to hit his 50th home run of the season sold for $4.38 million at auction on Saturday.

The winning bid was placed by a Japanese businessman who wishes to remain anonymous.

The ball was sold by SCP Auctions, which estimates its value at $5 million to $7 million.

The proceeds from the sale will benefit the Ohtani Foundation, which supports youth baseball and softball programs in Japan.

The sale of the ball comes amid an ongoing dispute over ownership of the historic artifact.

The Mariners, who were the visiting team when Ohtani hit his 50th home run, claim ownership of the ball as it was hit during their game.

However, Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, argues that the ball belongs to Ohtani because he hit it.

The two sides have not yet reached an agreement on who owns the ball.

Despite the ongoing dispute, the sale of the ball for such a high price shows the tremendous value that collectors place on Ohtani memorabilia.

Ohtani is one of the most popular players in baseball, and his 50-50 season was one of the most impressive feats in recent memory.

The ball that he used to hit his 50th home run is a piece of baseball history, and it is likely to remain a valuable collector's item for many years to come.