The only thing that was certain about Shohei Ohtani’s free agency was the fact that he was going to be a very wealthy man. There were a number of teams reportedly in the final group of potential suitors attempting to sign the two-time American League MVP, including the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and (perhaps most crushing) the Toronto Blue Jays.
At one point last week, Shohei Ohtani was reportedly “on a plane to Toronto.” This false report made by MLB Insider Jon Morosi sent the entire Blue Jays fanbase into a frenzy when it was revealed that the man on the plane was in fact “Shark Tank” businessman Robert Herjavec:
Well, during Ohtani’s introductory press conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, the Japanese sensation revealed that he was at home watching the event unfold on his television.
After this revelation, Dodgers fans took to social media to mock Blue Jays fans. Some fans have simply praised Ohtani for his comical reaction to the entire situation, whereas others joked about being concerned for Blue Jays fans everywhere:
It’s just another dagger in the hearts of Blue Jays fans who have not only missed out on signing Ohtani but also missed out on Juan Soto. The young outfielder was linked in a potential trade to Toronto before being moved to the New York Yankees.
Shohei Ohtani’s free agency has been unlike any we have seen before
It’s safe to say that there has never been a free agency in MLB history like that of Shohei Ohtani. The two-way Japanese superstar was arguably the most coveted player to ever hit the open market with the Los Angeles Dodgers eventually outbidding their competition.
This past weekend, it was revealed that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani agreed to a seemingly impossible 10-year, $700,000,000 contract. That contract alone was worth more than the top two most expensive free agent deals in MLB history combined.
