A pair of New Balance cleats Los Angeles Dodgers that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani wore in the first game of the 2025 Tokyo Series is up for auction with The Realest, an authenticator and marketplace that sources items from athletes, artists and studios.
The cleats are signed in Ohtani's rarely seen Kanji signature, referencing his first MLB game in his home country. Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a double in the Dodgers' 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome on March 18, 2025.
"These shoes represent a rare crossover of baseball legacy, Japanese sports history and sneaker culture," The Realest founder and CEO Scott Keeney, also known as DJ Skee, said in a statement. "This is one of the most important pieces of modern baseball footwear ever publicly offered."
The cleats -- which feature Ohtani's dog "Deko-pin," or Decoy, on the heels -- were consigned by Noram Entry Corporation, the U.S. division of Take to The Universe, a Japanese cosmetic beauty device company.
The auction runs through Aug. 16. The Realest will also give 1% of the final sale price to a contest winner who can guess the winning bid.
Ohtani has a .293 batting average with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs heading into the MLB All-Star break.
