2018 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor Shohei Ohtani ROOKIE AUTO /150 PSA 10 GEM MINT

When Shohei Ohtani made his first spring training start in 2018, he struggled with his command and allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings against the Padres. According to certain reporters, the outing seemed “somewhat underwhelming” or “decidedly ordinary” in an overreaction to the Japanese star’s first appearance in Major League Baseball. The next day, again against the Padres, he made his debut as a designated hitter, drawing a pair of walks and hitting a first-pitch RBI single, leaving little ammunition for the critics and giving Topps a perfect image to use for Ohtani’s 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie card. When Topps released its Bowman set in April 2018, the company included a Rookie Autograph card of Ohtani pitching. Naturally, when Bowman Chrome came out in September, the generational talent received a card featuring his other skillset. Ohtani begins unfurling his powerful upper-cut swing on this example of his 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs /150 Blue Refractor. Found in hobby-exclusive boxes of Bowman Chrome, this hard-signed Rookie Auto ignited fevered chases upon release. And its popularity has skyrocketed as Ohtani has developed into one of the game's all-time greatest players. Few could have known just how much meaning this Blue Refractor would have when it came out. But after Ohtani's high-profile move to the Dodgers and ensuing MVP, World Series, and 50/50 club accomplishments, that hue adds another level of intrigue to an already in-demand issue. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 04/30/2025.