One of the top American League heavyweights linked to free agent Shohei Ohtani reportedly met with the two-way superstar on Monday evening.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been widely mentioned as the overwhelming favorites to land the two-time American League MVP for several months now. They have the financial resources, the southern California market that reportedly appeals to Ohtani and of course an ultra-competitive team that’s only three years removed from a World Series championship.
But the Toronto Blue Jays appear to have picked up significant momentum in the Ohtani sweepstakes.
According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, it’s believed that Ohtani met with the Jays at the club’s renowned state-of-the-art spring training complex that’s located in Dunedin, Florida:
“In the clearest sign yet of the Blue Jays’ interest in Shohei Ohtani, club officials are believed to have met Monday with the Japanese superstar at the team’s spring-training complex in Dunedin, Fla.
While a timetable for Ohtani’s free-agent decision is not known, the meeting would indicate that the negotiations with the Jays and other clubs are entering the final stages. The Dodgers, Cubs and potentially other teams remain in the bidding, and Ohtani reportedly has met with more than one club…
The Dodgers have long been considered the front-runner for Ohtani, but the Jays in recent weeks have emerged as a serious suitor. The urgency with which Toronto is maneuvering seemingly reflects a series of circumstances that is forcing the club into win-now mode.”
As Rosenthal noted, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins had to push back a meeting with the media because of “scheduling conflicts”. Atkins later spoke to reporters over Zoom.
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The Blue Jays, like the Dodgers, have deep-pocketed ownership to offer Ohtani the richest deal in MLB history (expected to be worth $500-plus million). They’re owned by media and technology giant Rogers Communications, one of the nation’s biggest companies.
Toronto is coming off a second straight postseason appearance, but both ended with disappointing sweeps in the AL Wild Card Series. With franchise cornerstones Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette both eligible for free agency in two years, the Jays are clearly in win-now mode.
And adding the game’s best player would go a long, long way in increasing their odds at a World Series championship.
