The Dodgers fan who caught Shohei Ohtani‘s home run on Wednesday night is now upset with her favorite team … claiming officials from the org pressured her into giving it up for a low-ball offer.
Ambar Roman scooped up the memento in the seventh inning of LA’s tilt with the Giants at Dodger Stadium — after Ohtani blasted it some 430 feet from home plate into her seat in the right field bleachers.
THE FIRST OF MANY FOR SHOHEI OHTANI. pic.twitter.com/6x0zye1GnZ
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 4, 2024
@Dodgers
It was Shohei’s first-ever dinger as a Dodger … and, initially, Roman was fired up to score the treasure. She was seen on the game’s broadcast going crazy — but just minutes later, she said things turned very stressful.
In a conversation with The Athletic, Roman accused Dodgers officials of separating her from her husband … before insisting she fork over the ball for just a couple of signed Ohtani hats.
Roman said the team hinted they wouldn’t authenticate the ball if she didn’t make the trade — and with no ability to talk things over with her husband … she says she did the deal after they sweetened the pot a bit with an additional signed bat and ball.
But now, her husband, Alexis Valenzuela, said the whole thing left a bad taste in his and his wife’s mouths.
“I was just disappointed that a team that I hold so dear pulled a quote-unquote quick one on us,” Valenzuela said.
“We’re not trying to extort anyone,” he added. “It’s not that we’re money hungry. 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.”
According to a Heritage Auctions expert, the ball is worth in the neighborhood of $100,000. The signed memorabilia Roman received was worth around $4,000, the expert said.
Nonetheless, Roman said she was still happy to have the memory … and it seems she could be in line to receive at least a little bit more compensation — as a Dodgers official told The Athletic they’re “open to a further conversation” about it all.