The Toronto Blue Jays could be the next stop for Japanese pitching sensation Shohei Ohtani, assuming the team satisfies most of what the 29-year-old wants.
Ohtani and his camp reportedly met with the Blue Jays on Monday, December 4, at the Spring Training complex, The Athletic reported. It remains unclear how the meeting went, although it is a rare progress considering the limited public updates on Ohtani's plans for this free agency.
Aside from the Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Dodgers is another team the two-time AL MVP allegedly met with. This was revealed no less by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, MLB.com reported.
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"We met with Shohei and we talked, and I think it went well," Roberts said. "But at the end of the day he's his own man and he's going to do what's best for himself, [go] where he feels most comfortable."
Hence, two teams appear to have the inside track in the race for Shohei Ohtani's services. With the Blue Jays known to be serious bidders for the services of the three-time All-Star, how does he fit with the Toronto franchise?
1. Ohtani can help the Blue Jays get past the Wild Card series.
The Blue Jays have reached the American League Wild Card Series in three of the last four seasons. Unfortunately, that is as far as they could go, SI.com reported. They got swept by the Minnesota Twins last season, but adding Ohtani could improve their chances next time.
Toronto is willing to spend, something Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made clear.
"[We have] the ability to acquire players at every level," Atkins said. "To maximize spending on amateur and international, to be able to trade for players, to be able to go after high-caliber free agents like George Springer, Hyun Jin Ryu, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt. That's an exciting and easy thing to sell. It's not something that we're looking to overcome, it's something we're celebrating," he added via MLB.com.
2. Ohtani can make history by leading the Blue Jays to a pennant.
The Blue Jays have not won a pennant in a generation. Given his caliber, Ohtani could be the missing link for Toronto to get one.
It would essentially be his team, which could further make a Toronto Blue Jays stop tempting. Given that the team has been putting up winning records the last seasons, Ohtani and his camp may want to seriously look at how things would align and how the two sides could end up in a win-win situation.
3. Ohtani can help the Blue Jays in their return on investments.
Having spent so much in their renovations, Shohei Ohtani may not only be the one who can help ramp up their playoff chances but also be someone who can help them recoup the money they shelled out.
Given his popularity, having Ohtani would pack the stands. Additionally, from a business standpoint, Rogers Communication can benefit and make Ohtani their brand ambassador.
With the Blue Jays not sacred to spend, satisfying the projected $600 million deal that Ohtani is looking for may not be a problem. It is another huge investment for the team, although they will have to be patient as the Japanese pitcher recuperates from his recent elbow surgery.
Regardless of whether he plays or not, the fact is that Ohtani will still be a draw anywhere he goes.
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