Why didn't Shohei Ohtani sign with Blue Jays? Revisiting the airplane saga before record 2024 contract

On Dec. 8, 2023, Shohei Ohtani embarked on the greatest flight never taken.

For an afternoon, the baseball world believed Ohtani was on his way to Canada to visit -- and perhaps sign with -- the Toronto Blue Jays. The reigning MVP was a free agent, and the Blue Jays aggressively pursued him as they tried to add another superstar alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

At first, few believed the Blue Jays could pull off the upset and land one of baseball's elite talents, but the private jet that ultimately was not carrying him captivated social media and had some expecting a bombshell decision from Ohtani.

Here's a look at what went wrong and what the internet got wrong about the Blue Jays' pursuit of Ohtani.

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Why didn't Shohei Ohtani sign with Blue Jays?

Ohtani said there were "a lot of reasons" he chose to sign with the Dodgers, but the franchise's commitment to winning was mentioned as a major factor.

"When I had the meeting with the Dodgers, the ownership group they said when they look back at the last 10 years, they looked at it as a failure, and when I heard that I knew they were all about winning," Ohtani said through a translator at his introductory press conference. "They share the same passion with me, a vision and history about winning."

There is no doubt the Dodgers were better positioned to win than the Blue Jays at the time. Toronto had not won a postseason game since 2016, while the Dodgers were fresh off three consecutive 100-win seasons. Even if those campaigns all ended in playoff disappointment, the resources at the Dodgers' disposal made a return to the World Series inevitable. 

After the decision, the Blue Jays insisted they made as strong of a push as they possibly could for Ohtani. GM Ross Atkins shared his frustration with reporters.

"We were obviously very disappointed with the outcome, and it was a very difficult phone call to receive, one of the more difficult ones in my career," Atkins said in January 2024. "There's no doubt in my mind he was exceptionally attracted to this country, this city, this team. We felt incredible about the process, but we moved on."

Of course, signing with the Blue Jays would have forced Ohtani to uproot himself from Southern California. By moving from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers, Ohtani was able to stay right where he was comfortable after six years in the region.

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Shohei Ohtani Blue Jays airplane saga

A private flight from the Los Angeles area to Toronto on Dec. 8, 2023 had many convinced Ohtani was headed to possibly sign a deal with the Blue Jays.

Since Ohtani and the Blue Jays had already met once at the Winter Meetings, a second meeting certainly made the likelihood of an agreement much higher. 

The only problem? It wasn't Ohtani on the flight. Cameras set up at the airport instead found Canadian businessman Robert Herjavec, known for "Shark Tank." 

The Ohtani speculation wasn't just baseless internet fodder, though. Some reporters got the story wrong. MLB Network's Jon Morosi tweeted, "Sources: Shohei Ohtani is en route to Toronto today," as the flight was in the air, seemingly confirming the private jet was what so many thought it was.

Other reporters, however, chimed in the same afternoon to say Ohtani was not traveling and had not made a decision. A day later, Ohtani announced on Instagram that he was signing with the Dodgers.

Did Shohei Ohtani fly to Toronto?

Ohtani met with the Blue Jays, but the meeting took place during the Winter Meetings, when Toronto's front office was stationed in Nashville. Whether the secret meeting took place in-person or virtually, Ohtani never made it to Toronto. 

Herjavec, meanwhile, said he is rooting for the Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series as an act of contrition. "I have to,” he told the LA Times, "because I’ve already disappointed the entire country once. I’m hoping, with my moral support, this will redeem me to Canadians."

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Shohei Ohtani contract

Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, setting a new record for total value and annual value. The record for total value has since been surpassed by Juan Soto and the New York Mets, but Ohtani's mark of $70 million per year remains an MLB record.

The deal includes heavy deferrals, however. Ohtani is actually making $2 million per year over the course of these 10 years, with $68 million due to him annually over the 10 years that follow the conclusion of the deal. 

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