Shohei Ohtani is taking his talents to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There’s no question that it’s a difficult outcome for the Blue Jays organization and their fans.
What a gut punch, especially after Friday’s rumours about a private jet heading to Toronto from Anaheim and restaurant reservations being made in Yusei Kikuchi’s name. All that chaotic speculation built fan expectations to bat-flip levels, which made Saturday’s news even more painful.
Despite losing out to the Dodgers, Jays fans should feel good that they were in the battle to acquire the game’s best player and considered extending him a historic contract. There is no shame in coming in second in this pursuit. Plus, it points to a commitment from the organization to winning and a willingness to spend.
It will take a while for the fans to recover, but the Jays’ front office staff doesn’t have the luxury of taking time to lick their wounds. It is time to pivot to Plan B, C, D, E and F. There is a lot of work to be done.
General manager Ross Atkins has been having parallel negotiations with clubs and agents while courting Ohtani. He knew that getting the two-way superstar was a bit of a longshot, but well worth a try.
Atkins can’t let himself get caught up in the emotions of the loss in the Ohtani pursuit. He has to remain disciplined to his plan. Chasing fan approval will lead to making bad personnel decisions or bad deals. He can’t appear, sound, or act desperate because he will be manipulated by other general managers or agents.
Toronto’s Plan B after Ohtani was Padres outfielder Juan Soto, but he came off the board last Thursday when he was traded to the New York Yankees. This is what can happen when teams are involved in a pursuit of their top choice. Sometimes, Plan B comes off the board while you are waiting for Plan A to make a decision.
In fact, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did a masterful job getting San Diego to make the deal before Ohtani made his decision. Cashman knew that the Jays, Giants, and Cubs would all pivot to Soto if they didn’t land Ohtani. So, now it’s on to Plan C for the Jays.
Free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger is an obvious option. He isn’t Ohtani, but he is an athletic centre fielder and first baseman who had a bounce-back season in 2023 and was recognized as the NL Comeback Player of the Year. He would make the Jays exceptional defensively and add a potential big bat in the lineup.
Another possibility is Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. He is just 25 and a fleet-footed contact hitter. He rarely strikes out while still earning walks. In 2022 he hit .349/.421/.575 for the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, and followed that up in 2023 by slashing .318/.406/.455 over 86 games before an ankle injury ended his season. He hits from the left side and will be a nice addition to a major-league team. Both of these players are options for the Giants, Cubs, and Mariners as well.
The Jays need to also address third base. Davis Schneider and Cavan Biggio are internal options, but I prefer both of them as utilitymen. Matt Chapman is known to the Jays, and he is certainly still an option. He can really play defence and he is a better hitter than what he produced last season. The Giants are also very interested in Chapman as he played across the bay in Oakland previously and his former manager in Oakland, Bob Melvin, is now at the helm in San Francisco.
I would consider infielder Justin Turner, 39, on a one-year deal. He is a professional veteran hitter and leader. He could play some third base, first base, and DH for the Jays. His versatility would fit nicely with Schneider and Biggio, giving Jays’ manager John Schneider solid options for matching up with opponents.
