NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In the clearest sign yet of the Blue Jays’ interest in Shohei Ohtani, club officials reportedly met with the Japanese superstar on Monday at the team’s spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida.
While a timeline for Ohtani’s free agent decision is unknown, the meeting suggests that negotiations with the Jays and other clubs are entering their final stages. The Dodgers, Cubs and possibly other teams remain in the bid, and Ohtani has reportedly met with more than one club.
It is unknown if Ohtani is close to a deal with a team. His free agency remains shrouded in secrecy, and officials with interested teams say his agent, Nez Balelo, warned them that sharing any details of the process would be to their detriment.
For Ohtani, whose trademarks include an intense focus on preparation and a tireless attention to detail, a visit to the Jays’ spring training home would likely be a prerequisite for moving negotiations forward. As a member of the Angels, Ohtani played at the Jays’ home park, the Rogers Center. He has never seen the team’s $100 million training complex, which opened in 2021.
There were signs throughout Monday that something was happening between the Jays and Ohtani.
General manager Ross Atkins did not meet with club media members in person at the winter meetings, instead conducting his session via Zoom for what the team called a “scheduling conflict.” Manager John Schneider was originally scheduled to also speak to the media on Monday, but last Friday the team’s public relations staff pushed back his availability to Tuesday afternoon. Balelo was also not in Tennessee on Monday, according to an industry source familiar with the situation.
The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath reported that Atkins did his Zoom while sitting in front of a nondescript white wall that offered no clue to his whereabouts.
“Due to scheduling conflicts, I was able to participate in this call and I am grateful for your willingness to be here with me today,” Atkins told reporters. “I wanted to make sure I was with you, and Zoom allowed that.”
The Dodgers have long been considered the leading candidate for Ohtani, but in recent weeks the Jays have emerged as a serious contender. The urgency with which Toronto is maneuvering appears to reflect a set of circumstances that are forcing the club into win-now mode.
As The Athletic reported on Sunday, those circumstances include:
- The Jays’ disappointing and controversial exit from the postseason when Schneider struck out Jose Berríos from a shutout in the fourth inning of Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Twins. The Blue Jays lost that game and were eliminated, as was Atkins subsequently assigned sole responsibility to Schneider before taking on greater responsibility later. The Jays, 0-6 in the last four postseasons, have not won a playoff game since 2016.
- Fan base unrest over the team’s performance at a time when the Rogers Center is undergoing a $300 million renovation led to a rise in ticket prices. The Yankees, Cardinals, Giants and Red Sox are among the other clubs struggling with fan unrest, but the Jays’ problems may be even greater considering they are trying to sell new premium seating, to justify the cost of their renovations.
- The threat to the team’s future competitiveness as shortstop Bo Bichette and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are both two years removed from free agency. The Jays were unable to extend either player, raising questions about their desire to stay. Guerrero may also not be as attractive an extension candidate as he once was, as he has regressed offensively since his monstrous 2021 season.
- There is a possibility that Atkins and/or president of baseball operations Mark Shapiro are at risk of losing their jobs. Shapiro is under contract through 2025 and Atkins through 2026, but the pressure appears to be mounting. Rogers, a publicly traded company, certainly wants to see a return on its combined $400 million investment in the team’s training complex and home stadium. Ohtani could help deliver that return. And the Jays appear eager to make him a part of their future.
(Photo by Shohei Ohtan: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)