A surprising American League team could win the the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes thanks to one interesting factor.
As usual, money will be a key factor in the Ohtani sweepstakes. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been widely regarded as the favorites for Ohtani given their geographical location, financial resources and the fact they’re a consistent contender.
But according to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the Toronto Blue Jays have one thing working in their favor that could help them win the Ohtani sweepstakes: The fact they play in one of baseball’s most hitter-friendly ballparks:
“A factor that might be more important, one person familiar with Ohtani’s thinking said: the ballpark, and Ohtani’s comfort within it.
That’s why some executives believe a team such as the San Francisco Giants, who play in a very difficult hitters’ park, is unlikely to land him regardless of the desire to add superstar talent. And it might be why the Toronto Blue Jays, who play 2,500 miles away from Ohtani’s Southern California home, are seen as a strong suitor.
For what it’s worth, Ohtani has a career 1.139 OPS at Rogers Centre. It’s a small sample size (58 plate appearances). But when you’re considering potential landing spots for Ohtani, don’t discount the elements within a ballpark. They might matter more than where it’s located.”
Gonzalez noted that folks in the MLB industry don’t think that geography matters now as much as it did back in 2017, when the two-way star signed with the Angels.
Ohtani has more than lived up to expectations since entering the majors back in 2018. He’s a three-time All-Star who just won his second AL MVP title after hitting .304 with a 1.066 OPS, 44 homers and 95 RBI.
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As a pitcher, Ohtani went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings pitched.
The Blue Jays have a star-studded core led by youngsters Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cy Young candidate Kevin Gausman. Of course, the Jays have yet to endure any postseason success with their core, going 0-2 in the wild card round in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Adding Ohtani to that roster would unquestionably make the Blue Jays the team to beat in a wide-open American League. We’ll see if they can somehow emerge as the lucky winners of the Ohtani sweepstakes.
