According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays have become an “interesting surprise entrant” in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.
Heyman claims to have heard from a source that Ohtani has appreciated his past trips to Toronto and may come to “like the relatively low-key environment.”
But Heyman also notes that the Canadian dollar’s current exchange rate of 74 cents versus the US dollar is one reason why the Jays appear to be a long shot.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are still the odds-on favorites to sign Ohtani, but the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants are also in the running, according to Heyman.
The Blue Jays were among the teams “chasing” the two-way star, according to an earlier report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. It is anticipated that he would sign the biggest contract in baseball history this off-season. The Blue Jays “want to do something big” this winter, according to Passan’s story from earlier in the month.
The 29-year-old won his second American League’s MVP this season despite being shut down with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow late in the year. He finished with a career-best .304 average to go along with 44 home runs and 95 RBI in 135 games. He also made 23 starts in 2023, posting a record of 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.061 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.
Ohtani underwent elbow surgery in September and is not expected to pitch during the 2024 season, but should be ready to hit as of Opening Day.