Apr 3, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers
(Los Angeles, LA) – While the intrigue surrounding MLB slugger Shoehi Ohtani and his ex interpreter’s alleged gambling debts is yet-to-be-resolved, there’s new drama in Tinseltown.
And that’s because Ohtani says he met with the woman who caught the first home run he ever hit as a member of the LA Dodgers – but she says that never happened.
Ambar Roman attended the Dodgers game against the Giants at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night. She says after Ohtani’s go-ahead homer landed at her feet, she grabbed it. Immediately, security escorted both Roman and her husband Alexis Valenzuela from the stands.
Sam Blum of The Athletic caught up with Roman afterward.
He writes: “Roman and Valenzuela say the security staff separated them, pressured them, and left them little choice but to hand over the baseball for a low-ball offer. The Dodgers initially dangled two caps signed by Ohtani in exchange for a ball that an auction house representative told The Athletic would be worth at least $100,000.”
Blum says the Dodgers utilized “hardball tactics,” in trying to get Roman to give up the ball. “… team officials included the threat of refusing to authenticate the baseball if she decided to take it home. This was no trivial matter: A lack of authentication would render the ball worthless, all but forcing her to accept the trade.”
The home run ball would have been a valuable memorabilia item, given Ohtani is expected to pay most if not all of the rest of his career with the Dodgers.
Valenzuela, Roman’s husband, told Blum that “they really took advantage of her. There were a bunch of (security) guys around her. They wouldn’t let me talk to her or give her any advice. There was no way for us to leave. They had her pretty much cornered in the back.”
As for what Roman said: “… It was a little pressuring. Especially because it was like, ‘I need you to give me an answer like right now. You gotta make up your mind.’ It was a lot of pressure.” Eventually the Dodgers gave them two signed hats, a signed bat, and a ball. “We’re not trying to extort anyone. It’s not that we’re money hungry,” Valenzuela recounted to Blum. “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.”
And that’s not the only source of controversy. Speaking through a new interpreter, Ohtani said after the game that he had a chance to meet the fan who caught the ball. But Roman, commenting on X, said that’s not true.
But, in response to that report, the Los Angeles Times’ Dylan Hernandez – who speaks Japanese fluently – claims Ohtani never actually said he met with the fan, but rather alluded to the fact he would be.
The Dodgers also say they’re open to a further and expanded conversation regarding the fan-franchise interaction.
