The fly ball Aaron Judge dropped in World Series Game 5 is up for auction

[Gary Dunaier]

MLB has a couple of pretty significant game-used balls from the 2024 World Series in their current "2024 MLB The Year In Review Auction." I'm surprised I haven't read anything about it, because if I were a passionate Dodger fan with deep pockets I'd definitely want these:

• The fly ball Aaron Judge dropped in the 5th inning of Game 5 that opened the floodgates and allowed the Dodgers to tie the game. This may be the Dodgers' version of the Mookie Ball (the ball that went between Bill Buckner's legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series).



• Mookie Betts' sacrifice fly in the 8th inning that drove in the eventual game- and World Series-winning run.



I guess the most surprising thing to me is how low-key these auctions are, compared to private auction houses. For example, here's the COMPLETE lot description of the Judge miscue:

"2024 World Series - Game 5 - Dodgers vs. Yankees - Game-Used Baseball - P: Gerrit Cole | B: Tommy Edman - Dropped Fly Ball by Aaron Judge (Top 5) - 10/30/24"

That's it. No lengthy discourse of the events leading up to that moment, no intensive detailed description of the ball itself. Just the one sentence... if you can even call it a sentence.

Anyway, I just wanted to document it here. The auction ends Thu 12/12/24 at 8.00pm EST, and the current high bids are $12,510 for the Judge ball and $3,010 for the Betts ball. (Can't call it the Mookie ball 'cause, as mentioned, there already IS a Mookie Ball. )

Incidentally, the auction for the Freddie Freeman World Series walkoff grand slam is also underway. Because of its historical status, and in light of the Ohtani 50-50 ball going for $4.4 million, I thought this would break the million dollar mark, and maybe it will; with just under four days to go as of date and time of posting, it's currently at $550,000.