Blue Jays Manager Lightheartedly Asks Shohei Ohtani to Return Gifts After Free Agency Meeting

Blue Jays Manager Lightheartedly Asks Shohei Ohtani to Return Gifts After Free Agency Meeting

Prior to the Toronto Blue Jays fans indulging in dreams of winning a World Series, the excitement centered around the possibility of Shohei Ohtani signing with the franchise during free agency.

The two-way megastar met with the Blue Jays on December 4, 2023, at their spring training complex located in Dunedin, Florida. Unfortunately for the Blue Jays, he ultimately chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. As Game 1 of the World Series approaches, it will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Friday at the Rogers Centre and will air exclusively on FOX. Shohei Ohtani will be stepping up as the first batter the Blue Jays will face.

Gifts Given, Jokes Made

During the meeting, the Blue Jays presented Ohtani with a team hat and a jacket for Decoy, his beloved dog. In a playful manner, Blue Jays manager John Schneider expressed his wish to have those gifts returned.

Schneider remarked, “I hope he brought his hat, the Blue Jay hat that he took from us in our meeting. I hope he brought it back, finally.” His lighthearted comments came just days before the highly anticipated matchup.

He continued, “And the jacket for Decoy. It’s like, ‘Give us our stuff back already.’” Ohtani, upon hearing Schneider’s playful remarks, responded with a smile and a quip through a translator, saying, “It’s in my garage.”

The Performance That Stole the Show

Last season marked Ohtani’s debut with the Dodgers. He had an outstanding year, winning the National League Most Valuable Player award after finishing the season with a .310 batting average, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases. His remarkable contributions played a crucial role in guiding the Dodgers to a World Series title.

This season, Ohtani returned to the mound and showcased his dominant skills once again. Despite coming back from elbow surgery, he enjoyed a solid performance with a batting average of .282, alongside 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. On the pitching side, he registered a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA over 14 starts, recording 62 strikeouts across 47 innings.

Dodgers’ Championship Push

Ohtani’s impressive regular season has placed him in contention for what could be the fourth MVP Award of his baseball career. His latest achievement during the postseason was nothing short of legendary. He homered three times while delivering six shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers in a game that helped the Dodgers secure a four-game sweep of the National League Championship Series.

Schneider acknowledged Ohtani’s exceptional talent, stating, “He’s a great player. But that aside, I think that we have a great team and just an unbelievable cast of characters and players. I think things worked out the way they’re meant to work out.”

The Free Agency Saga

Reflecting on Ohtani’s free agency decision, Schneider admitted uncertainty regarding how close the Blue Jays were to signing the superstar. He explained, “When we met with him, you felt good about it, and you felt good about the feedback he was giving about our organization and opportunity here. But you never really know what a player’s feeling in free agency, and there’s a lot of things that have to line up for them personally, too. So, you can’t really think about what if. You think about the 26 players that we have.”

Almost two years after Ohtani chose the Dodgers over the Blue Jays during free agency, both franchises find themselves competing in the World Series.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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