Blue Jays See Progress in Shohei Ohtani Pursuit, Are They the New Favorites in the $500 Million Race?

After months of speculations, the climax of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes could be right around the corner. The winter meetings can see things heating up as only a few teams are still pursuing a deal with the two-way phenom. After insiders predicted that the deal could climb as high as $600 million, things have gotten interesting. While a few teams have existed since the beginning, one surprising name emerged a few days ago: The Toronto Blue Jays. Could they be the new favorite to sign Ohtani? Do they have any advantage over Dodgers?

Many experts are considering the Jays ahead in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes due to a variety of reasons. But it cannot be denied that nobody knows what’s inside Ohtani’s mind. Even if it looks like the Blue Jays are ahead, there may be twists still waiting to happen in this deal. However, there are some recent developments that are hinting something else.

The Blue Jays are just one among many suitors for Shohei Ohtani, but among the strongest

Everyone was surprised when the reports of the Blue Jays being ahead of the rest emerged. They weren’t on most lists for the team that will have Shotime before the news broke. So, what has turned them into the team to look out for this offseason? It’s their impressive performances and an ownership that is constantly investing in infrastructure. This has made it possible for the team to go for heavy deals like that of the two-way phenom.

It won’t take long to get a conclusive answer though, as The Athletic recently informed in a recent article that talks are in its final stages. They wrote, “In the clearest sign yet of the Blue Jays’ interest in Shohei Ohtani, club officials are believed to have met Monday with the Japanese superstar at the team’s spring-training complex in Dunedin, Fla.”

Although the exact timeline for Ohtani’s free-agent decision remains unknown, the fact that a meeting has taken place suggests “The negotiations with the Jays and other clubs are entering the final stages. The Dodgers, Cubs, and potentially other teams remain in the bidding, and Ohtani reportedly has met with more than one club.”

Yet, they aren’t the outright favorite, but they are indeed among the frontrunners to sign Ohtani. Every team has an advantage that they can exploit. For the LA Dodgers, it’s their constant playoffs and geography. While for the Angels it’s the comfort and familiar environment and for the Chicago Cubs, it is their rich history and recent upward trajectory. Calling one team favorite in this scenario would be grossly oversimplification.

Read more: Shocking News Indicates Possible Return of Shohei Ohtani to the LA Angels

With talks in the final stage, the prediction was that Ohtani would decide during or right after the winter meetings. Surprisingly, there may be another suitor for him as well.

The 2021 World Series champions are in the race too

Famous insider Jon Morosi recently said, “One team that I think we have not been giving enough attention to in (free agency of Ohtani): the Atlanta Braves.” He went on to say that Ohtani wants to join a team that can win “sustainably”. Incidentally, Braves and Dodgers are the only ones to fit that bill.

Morosi finished by saying, “The Braves have not been eliminated from this conversation.” On the same note, in his recent article, Jon Heyman alluded to a potential secret team in the Ohtani sweepstakes. As the speculation arises, could he be referring to the Braves? In just a matter of days, all these questions will be answered, and perhaps the highly anticipated, record-breaking signing will speak for itself.

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