Dodgers Fan Catches Team's First 2026 Home Run Ball

Aaron Blank plans to keep the prized souvenir unless the Dodgers want it back.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:13am

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Aaron Blank, a Dodgers fan, caught the team's first home run of the 2026 season during the season opener against the Diamondbacks. Blank moved his season tickets to center field this offseason specifically to chase home run balls, and his strategy paid off when he snagged Andy Pages' go-ahead, three-run shot in the fifth inning. Blank said he's open to returning the ball to the Dodgers if they approach him about it.

Why it matters

Catching a team's first home run of the season is a rare and prized moment for any fan. Blank's story highlights the dedication of some die-hard fans who go to great lengths, like relocating their seats, to try to snag these special souvenirs.

The details

Blank said he moved his season tickets to center field this offseason because he wanted to be in "home run territory" to try to catch home run balls. His strategy paid off in the fifth inning when Pages hit a go-ahead, three-run homer that landed right in Blank's mitt. Blank said he's only caught one other home run ball in his life, during the MLB Home Run Derby three years ago.

  • The home run occurred in the bottom of the fifth inning of the Dodgers' season opener against the Diamondbacks on March 27, 2026.

The players

Aaron Blank

A Dodgers fan who moved his season tickets to center field this offseason specifically to try to catch home run balls, which paid off when he snagged the team's first home run of the 2026 season.

Andy Pages

The Dodgers player who hit the go-ahead, three-run home run in the fifth inning that Blank caught.

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What they’re saying

“We sat by the foul pole in home run territory last year, the whole season. And we moved. This is our first game sitting here. We moved our seats here because we wanted to catch home run balls.”

— Aaron Blank, Dodgers Fan

“It is the first home run ball of the year for the champions. So, you never know. It could be valuable.”

— Aaron Blank, Dodgers Fan

What’s next

If the Dodgers approach Blank about returning the ball, he said he's open to talks.

The takeaway

Blank's story shows the dedication of some die-hard fans who go to great lengths to try to catch prized souvenirs like a team's first home run of the season. His willingness to return the ball to the Dodgers if they want it back also demonstrates the respect and appreciation many fans have for their favorite teams.