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Shohei Ohtani' agent finally reveals what happened with the Toronto Blue Jays last year
Photo credit: NBC News
Toronto Blue Jays fans are still wondering what happened during the 2023 off-season with Shohei Ohtani when most thought he would be signing with Toronto which his agent Nez Balelo finally revealed.
Ohtani ended up signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead of the Blue Jays for a massive 10 year $700 million contract which at the time was the largest contract in MLB history.
Shohei Ohtani finally reveals what happened with the Toronto Blue Jays
During the 2023 off-season, it was believed that Ohtani boarded a plane from Orange County to Toronto to meet with the Blue Jays about potentially signing but it looks like after all this time, it never happened.
In December 2023, a private jet belonging to Canadian businessman Robert Herjavec was confused to be Ohtani traveling from Orange County to Toronto, according to the Los Angeles Times. MLB Network reporter Jon Morosi quickly reported that it was Ohtani traveling to meet with the Blue Jays, as they were seen as finalists to land him. -Mohammed
Ohtani's agent, Nez Balelo, recently revealed that they were never on a plan to Toronto to meet with the organization and added that he felt terrible about this story coming out and giving the Blue Jays fanbase hope that he would sign in Toronto.
"Well, that was reckless reporting. We actually tried to let the individual know, 'No, we're not on a plane,'" Balelo said. "I felt bad for the country of Canada. I felt horrible for the organization because clearly they knew we weren't." -Balelo
Fans in Toronto are still quite upset about this entire situation even if a couple years later now, it is clear that he was never going to sign in Toronto, fans still boo him at the Rogers Centre.
Despite what the organization knew, many fans were still upset about the rumor and held it against Ohtani when he signed with the Dodgers. He was booed by fans in Toronto in his first game in the city after joining the Dodgers. Of course, he hit a home run in his first at-bat of the game to silence them. -Mohammed
If the Blue Jays would have some how figured out a way to sign Ohtani, they probably would not be in the current situation they are in but unfortunately that world is simply not the real one.
Source: Sporting News
Shohei Ohtani's agent breaks silence on 'reckless' 2023 Blue Jays rumor
Shohei Ohtani's agent breaks silence on 'reckless' 2023 Blue Jays rumor
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MAI 9 | 2333 ANSWERS Shohei Ohtani' agent finally reveals what happened with the Toronto Blue Jays last year Did you believe that Shohei Ohtani was on a plane to Toronto back in 2023? | ||
| Yes | 291 | 12.5 % |
| No | 2042 | 87.5 % |
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