Is Shohei Ohtani in Toronto or not? New report casts Blue Jays doubt
Where in the world is Shohei Ohtani? Toronto Blue Jays fans would like to know.
It’s been a wild day of rumours and reports concerning the best baseball player in the world. Some of them accurate, some of them not.
So many people believed the 28-year-old Japanese star was on a private jet heading to Toronto Pearson International Airport this afternoon that it became the most tracked flight in the world. Someone said Ohtani had dinner reservations at an upscale Toronto sushi restaurant, and that went viral on social media as well.
And those are just two of the many unsubstantiated rumours that have spread like wildfire today.
But then MLB insider Jon Morosi reported that Ohtani was “en route to Toronto” today. Morosi is a well-respected member of the baseball media, and the report appeared to solidify that Ohtani would be signing with the Blue Jays.
Well, that euphoria for Blue Jays fans lasted just an hour and 10 minutes before Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported just the opposite.
“Shohei Ohtani is NOT in Toronto,” the baseball writer said. “Ohtani is NOT on a flight to Toronto. Ohtani is at home in Southern California.”
Nightengale’s report has since been confirmed by Jon Heyman of the New York Post and others.
Shohei Ohtani is NOT in Toronto.
Ohtani is NOT on a flight to Toronto.
Ohtani is at home in Southern California.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 8, 2023
Can confirm Shohei Ohtani is not en route to Toronto and is home in SoCal @BNightengale on it
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 8, 2023
Ohtani is a rare talent, given that the reigning American League MVP is both the game’s best hitter and one of its best pitchers.
Ohtani’s decision is reportedly “imminent,” with the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers the reported finalists to land the top free agent in MLB history. His next contract will break records, with some estimating he could get paid $600 million.
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