When Will Shohei Ohtani’s Saga End? Latest On The Two-Way Star’s Free Agency
After a day of speculation, consternation, corrections and retractions, Shohei Ohtani remains a free agent. What’s the latest on the two-way superstar?
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions that have emerged since Dodgers Nation reported Ohtani has chosen to sign with the Toronto Blue Jays.
What’s going on? Has Ohtani decided or hasn’t he?
According to multiple sources who spoke with Dodgers Nation on Friday, Ohtani’s decision is still in. The Dodgers do not expect to sign him. The Toronto Blue Jays do.
Wait, why isn’t Ohtani to Toronto a done deal?
The time between a free agent making his decision and the time his contract becomes official is not instantaneous. After agreeing to terms, passing a physical, putting pen to paper, submitting the contract to MLB, and having the contract approved by the league, only then does a contract between a player and a team become official. That process hasn’t played out with Ohtani. It can’t begin, of course, until he officially decides on a team.
What’s the Ohtani, private jet situation?
The most compelling sideshow in Friday’s saga was a report from Jon Morosi of MLB Network that Ohtani was en route to Toronto. Others believed they had identified the exact flight whisking him out of Southern California. Morosi later retracted his report after it was revealed Ohtani had never left. (The celebrity passenger on board the flight was “Shark Tank” star Robert Herjavec, who had fun with the snafu on his Instagram account.) A T-shirt commemorating the flight is available now, proving the internet remains undefeated.
So why are there so many conflicting reports regarding Ohtani?
It’s easy to forget now, but Ohtani’s first foray into major league free agency six years ago was closely guarded as well. His media availability as an Angel was more limited than perhaps any player’s in Major League Baseball. (Ohtani has not given an interview since August, despite winning the American League MVP award in the meantime.) His agency, CAA, requested privacy from teams as Ohtani’s latest free-agent process played out. Leaks have been few and far between ever since, so it’s possible the principals are motivated to keep Ohtani’s decision a mystery as long as possible.
Dodgers Nation believes its sources are correct. Some details of our initial story have been verified independently by additional sources since it first published. We can’t comment on the veracity of anyone else’s sources; that’s not our job. We haven’t been able to confirm precisely when Ohtani will announce his decision – initially we reported it would be no earlier than Friday – but we anticipate him and the Blue Jays revealing their agreement at some point.
Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Respect the fact that you’re not backpedaling JP… but your source better be right.
Didn’t this buffoon JP say it was decided yesterday?
Did you not read the article?
Yeah I did. He’s doubling down and praying to still be right.
You both are clowns. Shohei is a DODGER!
No exaggeration… your career is on the line if you’re wrong about this.
“ It can’t begin, of course, until he decides on a team.”.
The above quote is the only reliable and accurate reporting in this entire piece. The rest is pure speculation. With this reporter, whenever you are misinformed, it’s best to double down on the misinformation.
I’m not saying Ohtani won’t sign with the Blue Jays. Unamed sources, however, are notoriously unreliable. It’s not a good idea to stake one’s journalistic integrity on information from unamed sources.
According to my sources … The Giants are LANDING him.
Why is everyone trusting reports from a glorified blogger? He is not a journalist.
I’m sure JP Hoornstra, a random blogger got the biggest scoop in MLB history
If I was the Dodgers front office I would move on to the bigger problem… Starting pitching! I get it from a selling seats and jerseys, Ohtani will do that, the dodgers also pride themselves on a winning culture and I don’t believe 1 guy who can’t pitch next year will help that. Lock down Martinez for DH and go after this kid from Japan and the Brewers stud, Corbin Burns. Make Kershaw retire and bring up Miller and Pepiot. Work on Emmit Sheehan and all of a sudden you have a competitive 5 man rotation for probably less money than Ohtani. We have Betts, Freeman, Hayward, Muncy, and a few others to fill in the outfield and infield. This offense can score runs, especially if the pitching doesn’t put them in a hole out of the gate.
Gee I wonder if any of of that has occurred to the Dodgers front office. Good thing we have you to remind them.
Resignation SHOULD be imminent… or termination
JP you need to resign from this site; you lost credibility, according my source, Never trust what you write or say
HIOW ABOUT YOU FIND ANOTHER LINE OF WORK HORNSTRA. NO ONE WILL EVER BELIEVE YOU AGAIN IN THIS ONE.
What’s Freeman waiting for there’s still big fish in the pond Freeman is All talk he’s a bargain bin man Dodger’s should have fired him and Roberts when the season ended
Hey Mark: Freeman is the first baseman….he has very little to do with what the front office does. Are you sure you know who you are talking about????
Writhe ai was wrong again
Nothing but a clickbait story. This DN blogger JP Hoornstra is doubling down though. J. Morosi has already issued an apology for jumping the gun and reporting his scoop prematurely. Sources say…
YOU’RE FIRED!
JP I used to be your fan when you were with OCR, see what you’ve become a part of. I think you’ve made a awful choice
You need to resign. No integrity at all.
It’s one thing to get information so egregiously wrong, but to then double down on it and not apologize. I will never click on another of your stories or this site again because of how you not only made a HUGE UNACCEPTABLE mistake that led to A LOT of PAINI for TWO fan bases but instead of showing contrition and a willingness to learn from it, you double down on your false information and take no accountability. The mistake was bad enough but the behavior after is the deal breaker for me and most people.