Shohei Ohtani's New Balance 'Tokyo Series' Cleats Hit Auction Block

Shohei Ohtani's game-worn, autographed New Balance cleats from the 2025 Tokyo Series are up for auction.

Shohei Ohtani's historic New Balance cleats have hit the auction block. | The Releast

The Realest has become the industry leader in authenticated collectibles and memorabilia. Now, one of the most significant baseball artifacts ever is about to hit the platform: a historic pair of game-worn cleats worn by Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani's one-of-one Player Edition (PE) New Balance Ohtani 1s, worn for the Opening Game of the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series, will go live on July 13th and run through August 16th. The Realest will award 1% of the final sale price to the winner of a free-to-enter auction prediction contest. Fans can learn more about the live auction on TheRealest.com.

New Balance Ohtani 1

Shohei Ohtani's game-worn New Balance cleats. | The Realest

This moment was the first MLB game for Ohtani to return to Japanese soil, and he returned as a reigning World Series champion. Upon his return, Ohtani recorded his first hit of the 2025 season wearing this pair.

The design on these cleats honors Ohtani’s beloved dog, Decoy, on the heels. Following the game, Ohtani increased the value of the cleats by penning in his Japanese Kanji —a more rare and valuable autograph in the collectible space, along with an inscription of GU (for Game Used) Opening Day Tokyo Series around the toe. The cleats are decorated with dirt from the Tokyo Dome to add character to the collectible.

2025 Tokyo Series

Shohei Ohtani's game-worn New Balance cleats. | The Realest

The Tokyo Series was bigger than baseball, marking the most significant international event the MLB has hosted and the most-watched baseball game in Japanese history. The series became a global cultural moment, and these cleats dug in at the center of it all with Ohtani being the star of the show.

Ohtani has cemented himself as one of the strongest bets in the modern collector market. His global appeal has set new records across trading cards and equipment with each passing year, with his 50-50 ball sold for $4.39M, and his logoman jersey patch relic card hit $3 million.

Ohtani's Historic Footwear

Shohei Ohtani's game-worn New Balance cleats. | The Realest

Add in that Ohtani has become the face of a sneaker brand that is now leading globally. The Ohtani 1 is his first signature model and the launch of his first signature line. Ohtani's unprecedented appeal aligns him with one of the fastest-growing athletic brands.

"This is one of the most important pieces of modern baseball footwear ever publicly offered," said Scott Keeney (aka DJ Skee), Founder and CEO of The Realest. "This is more than just a piece of game-used memorabilia from a star player – these shoes represent a rare crossover of baseball legacy, Japanese sports history, and sneaker culture."

Authentication Process

Shohei Ohtani's game-worn New Balance cleats. | The Realest

Behind this game-used pair is authentication from Major League Baseball, utilizing their on-site witness-based authenticators. It is also authenticated with a hologram, dynamic QR code, and unique serial number by Fanatics, as they hold the exclusive signing rights with Ohtani.

This is a one-of-one pair that will surely set the baseball footwear market, leveraging baseball’s biggest global superstar. Stay locked Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from MLB and beyond.