It wasn't the most expensive ball hit by the Los Angeles Dodgers this year, but it was definitely one of the most significant.
The auction for the ball hit that bounced off the glove of New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge in Game 5 of the World Series ended on Thursday, with an unidentified buyer winning the memorabilia with a bid of $43,510.00. The proceeds for the auction, run by the Dodgers, will go to the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
The ball represents the turning point in the game that won the Dodgers their eighth Fall Classic earlier this year, as well as the start of one of the most humiliating innings in the history of the Yankees.
With a runner on first base and down 5-0 in the fifth, Dodgers shortstop Tommy Edman hit what should have been an easy fly ball to Judge in center. However, Judge was apparently distracted by baserunner Kiké Hernández taking a significant jump from first and the ball bounced off his glove.
That was only the first of three significant defensive misplays for the Yankees that inning. Shortstop Anthony Volpe bounced a throw to third on the next play to load the bases with no outs then, after getting two outs, pitcher Gerrit Cole failed to cover first base on a ground ball from Mookie Betts.
The Betts gaffe, which wasn't scored an error, scored one run. Two more came on a single by World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, then Teoscar Hernández tied the game with a double. The Dodgers went on to win the game 7-6, and the series 3-1.
The Judge ball will only be, at best, the third-most expnsive ball hit by the Dodgers this season. Shohei Ohtani's 50-50 ball auctioned for a record-shattering $4.4 million in October and the ball from the walk-off grand slam Freeman hit in Game 1 of the World Series currently has a top bid of $600,000. That auction is scheduled to end Saturday.
In related news, dirt from various points of the Dodgers' playoff run remains for sale.