Blue Jays are “chasing” Shohei Ohtani in free agency: report
The Toronto Blue Jays appear to still be interested in reeling in the biggest fish in franchise history.
In an article published today on ESPN from insider Jeff Passsan, Toronto was again linked to a possible megadeal for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in free agency.
“There are plenty of teams whose offseasons hinge on the right addition. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays are chasing the biggest star in the sport, free agent two-way player Shohei Ohtani.”
Later in the article, Passan also linked the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants as possible landing spots for Ohtani, who won the American League MVP this past season for the second time in his career.
Ohtani hit .304 with 151 hits, 44 home runs, 95 RBIs and 102 runs scored in 135 games this past season, while he had a 3.14 ERA and a 10-5 record on the mound in 132.0 innings pitched for the Los Angeles Angels. While Ohtani is not expected to pitch at all in the 2024 season due to an elbow injury suffered in August, he’s still expected to be available to bat next year before returning as a pitcher in 2025.
The latest update backs up earlier writing on Toronto’s reported interest in the megastar, even if there’s set to be quite the bidding war.
“‘The Toronto Blue Jays,’ said a source with knowledge of their plans, ‘want to do something big’ this winter. Ohtani fits, especially with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. due to hit free agency after the 2025 season,” Passan wrote on November 14, while USA Today’s Bob Nightengale had previously reported that Toronto would make a “strong push” for Ohtani back on November 5.
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