The Toronto Blue Jays are set to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. Coincidentally, the club will be playing against Shohei Ohtani, who was someone the front office targeted heavily as a free agent in the 2024 offseason. Manager John Schneider made a joke about it while talking with media members on Thursday.
Schneider, who is 45 years old, joked that Ohtani needs to return the gifts the Blue Jays gave him when the organization was trying to sign the three-time MVP, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. It's said Toronto gave Shohei Ohtani a Blue Jays cap and a jacket that was made for his dog.
“Blue Jays manager John Schneider says he hopes Shohei Ohtani brings back his Blue Jays cap and the jacket for his dog Decoy that were presented to him two years ago on [a] recruiting trip.”
Although the club did everything it could to potentially land the 31-year-old phenom, Ohtani ended up signing a massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. The pursuit of Ohtani did not work out in the Blue Jays' favor. However, the team still managed to reach the World Series in 2025.
The Dodgers are deemed the heavy favorites to win the World Series, but the Blue Jays certainly won't go down without a fight. Bo Bichette is expected to eventually return and could be available in Game 1, depending on how John Schneider likes his workouts before the contest.
Meanwhile, Toronto will be leaning on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Daulton Varsho, and George Springer to provide a boost in the offense. If Bichette can return, then the Blue Jays could have an incredibly strong lineup to take on the Dodgers.
