Fan who caught Ohtani HR ball felt swindled by Dodgers

A fan who caught the first home run ball hit by Shohei Ohtani in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform said she felt pressured and potentially swindled by stadium security to give it back.

Dodgers fan Ambar Roman caught the historic ball, which Ohtani hit in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants.

Roman said Dodgers security separated her from her husband, Alexis Valenzuela, "pressured them, and left them little choice but to hand over the baseball for what they considered a low-ball offer," according to The Athletic's Sam Blum.

The ball was given back to the Dodgers in exchange for two signed hats, a bat, and a ball. Ohtani's home-run ball would be worth at least $100,000, according to Chris Ivey, director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions. The items Roman received each carry a value of around $1,000, Ivey said, but would need to be authenticated to be sold, and the couple said they weren't authenticated and there was no confirmation Ohtani himself had signed them.

Roman added Dodgers team officials used "hardball tactics" to get the item back, including a threat of not authenticating the ball, which would greatly reduce its value.

"We're not trying to extort anyone. It's not that we're money hungry," 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."

He added, "I was just disappointed that a team that I hold so dear pulled a quote-unquote quick one on us."

The couple also said they didn't meet or speak with Ohtani, even though translation from the star player's interpreter, Will Ireton, seemed to suggest otherwise following Wednesday's game.

"I was able to talk to the fan, and was able to get it back," Ohtani said through his interpreter. "Obviously it's a very special ball, a lot of feelings toward it, I'm very grateful that it's back."

The team invited Roman and Valenzuela to an on-field experience at Dodger Stadium on April 12 - which coincides with Roman's birthday - to meet players, including Ohtani, before watching the game from seats at the field club level, a Dodgers official told Blum on Friday.

The Dodgers will also review their ballpark processes regarding the retrieval of milestone balls like this one.