Shohei Ohtani really could’ve been a Toronto Blue Jays two-way superstar.
The Blue Jays lost out to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the end, though, and that has huge implications on the next couple of weeks.
That’s because Toronto will face off with L.A. in the World Series, which begins Friday night with Game 1. Ohtani will be the game’s first batter as he leads off for the visitors at Rogers Centre.
Much has been made in recent days about how the Blue Jays even gave apparel to Ohtani for his dog, Decoy.
But more than that, it’s a story of how close the free agent margins can be in determining who wins and who doesn’t.
MORE: This 27-year old infielder will get a World Series ring no matter whether Dodgers or Blue Jays win
Why did Shohei Ohtani sign with the Dodgers and not the Blue Jays?
In the end, it didn’t have to do with the money. USA Today reports that both clubs made similar 10-year, $700 million contract offers with lots of deferred money.
One big factor in the decision for Ohtani: He didn’t have to leave Southern California.
He had just been playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Rather than move to Toronto, he could stay put.
The Dodgers also had just won the 2020 World Series and had been the class of the National League. Before this season, the Blue Jays hadn’t been to the World Series since 1993.
“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,“ Ohanti’s agent, Nez Balelo told The Los Angeles Times when Ohtani signed. “Shohei is thrilled to be a part of the Dodgers organization. He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”
Ohtani’s Instagram post at the time of his signing didn’t reveal much, but it was something else the fans had to read into after his free agent saga.
“I pledge to always do what’s best for the team and always continue to give it my all to be the best version of myself,” Ohtani wrote in the social media post. “Until the last day of my playing career, I want to continue to strive forward not only for the Dodgers but for the baseball world.”
Ohtani hasn’t talked about things a ton since then. Reports this week have indicated just how close he was to joining the Blue Jays.
But in the end, he didn’t move far, and he’s already got a ring to show for it. If he’s going to repeat, it’ll be at the hand of the team he almost signed for instead.
