Overview
- The Realest said the New Balance cleats Ohtani wore in the Dodgers’ 2025 Tokyo opener sold for $440,055 in an auction that closed on Monday, Aug. 17.
- The shoes carried strong provenance including Ohtani’s kanji signature, an inscription reading “GU Opening Day Tokyo Series,” and visible Tokyo Dome dirt, and were supported by MLB’s Authentication Program and Fanatics Authentic.
- The final price, reported by multiple outlets, eclipsed the previous public-auction benchmark for baseball footwear — Michael Jordan’s $93,000 Birmingham Barons cleats sold in 2020.
- The Realest said the lot drew 89 bids, became the company’s highest-selling item and was promoted with international events and storytelling that highlighted the shoes’ connection to Ohtani’s first regular-season MLB game in Japan.
- The result builds on earlier multi‑million-dollar Ohtani sales and suggests collectors will pay premiums for game-used items that pair clear provenance with culturally significant moments, which could push prices higher for similar memorabilia.