Shohei Ohtani adds to special subset of collectibles by striking out against another position player
With the Dodgers up 16-2 after seven and a half innings, the battered Athletics sent backup catcher Jhonny Pereda to the mound to pitch the bottom of the 8th. After giving up three straight hits to begin his outing, Ohtani stepped up to the plate. Ohtani had already homered twice in the game, giving him 15 for the season and a share of the Major League lead with Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. Given his opposition, a third seemed likely.
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Pereda got Ohtani to a 1-2 count with four pitches that each floated in at less than 70 MPH, then he dug deep and delivered an 89 MPH fastball above the strike zone that Ohtani tipped into the catcher's glove. Pereda's first out of the night: A strikeout against the mighty Ohtani.
Pereda initially played it cool after notching the strikeout, but before long he couldn't fight the grin from spreading across his face and tossed the ball to the dugout so it could be authenticated by an MLB official and tucked away for safekeeping.
Position player Jhonny Pereda broke out the heat to strikeout Ohtani … and kept the ball 😂 pic.twitter.com/A8TXdjizI0
— MLB (@MLB) May 16, 2025
In his one inning of work, Pereda gave up four hits, a walk, and three earned runs, but he managed to strike out who he later said was 'the only batter I wanted to face.' Following the game, he showed off his prized possession now in a plastic case labeled 'OHTANI STRIKEOUT MAY 15, 2025,' where it will likely remain for years to come.
'I was scared if he hit the ball to the middle, it was going to kill me,' Pereda said, according to MLB.com.
Jhonny Pereda said Shohei Ohtani was 'the only batter I want to face.' And he was just glad Ohtani didn't hit the ball back up the middle because if he did, 'it's going to kill me.'
What a night for the backup catcher. pic.twitter.com/EdGQ6NHzuF
— Jacob Gurvis (@jacobgurvis) May 16, 2025
Pereda isn't the only position player to take home an Ohtani strikeout ball, though.
In 2022, then Detroit Tigers infielder Kody Clemens notched his first career strikeout against Ohtani, who was then with the Los Angeles Angels. Clemens couldn't help but show his excitement when he froze Ohtani with his devastating 68 MPH pitch, immediately pumping his fist and smiling ear to ear as he too tossed the ball to the dugout for authentication and safekeeping.
Clemens was also brave enough to ask Ohtani to sign the ball, which he did, even adding an inscription: 'What a nasty pitch!'
Kody Clemens just received his Shohei Ohtani strikeout ball from last night – autographed by the Angels superstar with the inscription:
'What a nasty pitch!'
📸 KodyClemens on Instagram pic.twitter.com/JkiiFS0iTb
— Adrian Garro (@adriangarro) September 6, 2022
Ohtani's 50th home run ball in 2024 became the most valuable baseball of all time when it sold for $4.392 million. Both of these strikeout balls would likely command significant value — especially given the autograph and inscription on Clemens' (plus the fact that it made him and dad Roger the all-time father-son strikeout leaders) — but would probably fall short of that record. To Pereda and Clemens they're priceless, though.
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