The World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays is more than just a 7-game series. It has more history to it than what meets the eye, especially with player signings. The 2 recent player signings, Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, who were supposed to be in favor of Toronto, went to the Dodgers. And this has not sat well with a lot of fans. Especially with the signing of Ohtani, which was ever so close.

After almost 2 seasons since the whole drama, the Blue Jays manager has some words for Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy. In his recent interview, manager John Schneider said, “I hope he brought the hat, the Blue Jays hat he took from our meeting. And the jacket for Decoy. Give us our stuff back.” 

In December 2023, the Toronto Blue Jays stood inches from baseball immortality. They matched the Dodgers’ financial offer, reportedly worth around $700 million over ten years, and made an all-out pitch to Shohei Ohtani that felt both grand and personal. Inside their Dunedin facility, the team had jerseys, lockers, and even a custom Blue Jays jacket for Ohtani’s dog, Decoy, as reported by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. Every sign pointed toward Toronto, until the infamous “Ohtani flight” story unraveled, revealing that the Japanese superstar was never on board.

When Ohtani finally announced his decision on Instagram, he chose the Los Angeles Dodgers, ending one of the most dramatic free-agency chases in baseball history. For a brief moment, a nation’s hopes crashed into silence, and Toronto was left holding the memory of a near-miss that felt almost unreal. Ohtani later confirmed his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers, the richest in sports history, as first reported by ESPN. While the Blue Jays secured extensions for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and others with that freed-up payroll, the sting of losing Ohtani never quite faded.

Two years later, fate has drawn both sides back together on baseball’s biggest stage. The Dodgers, powered by Shohei Ohtani’s restored two-way brilliance, now face the same team that once courted him with such devotion. The Blue Jays, led by the same front office that nearly signed him, can finally chase closure with every pitch. This World Series isn’t just about who wins a trophy; it’s about rewriting one of baseball’s most unforgettable heartbreaks.

Shohei Ohtani may have taken Toronto’s hat, but he also took their heartbeat. Now, two years later, John Schneider’s smile hides a rivalry stitched with quiet resentment and unfinished business. If destiny deals fairly, either Ohtani or the Blue Jays will finally return what’s owed.

What would have happened if the Blue Jays had landed Shohei Ohtani?

History has a cruel sense of humor. The Toronto Blue Jays were one signature away from rewriting baseball’s balance of power, and instead, they became the punchline to the most expensive rumor mill in MLB history. Shohei Ohtani didn’t just choose Los Angeles; he unknowingly altered Toronto’s timeline. Because if the Blue Jays had actually landed him, everything, from payrolls to parades, would look very different.

If Shohei Ohtani had signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, baseball’s landscape would feel unrecognizable. Toronto’s payroll math worked, cutting Kiner-Falefa, Kiermaier, and Turner to fit Ohtani’s $46 million CBT hit. That single move would have added nearly five wins in 2024, lifting their rating from 70.9 to 75.6. The Jays would still have missed October that year, but barely. Fans wouldn’t have called 2024 a failure; they’d have called it a warning shot.

By 2025, Ohtani’s full two-way return would’ve changed everything about Toronto’s ceiling and Los Angeles’ floor. His 7.7 WAR season alone would have pushed the Jays’ power rating to 97.8, MLB’s best mark. Simulations showed a 92 percent playoff chance and a league-high 15 percent title shot. The Dodgers, without him, slipped to a 71 percent playoff rate and 6 percent championship odds. The bottom line? Toronto’s “almost” became Los Angeles’ empire, and every Jays fan still feels that echo.

Shohei Ohtani’s choice didn’t just alter stats; it rewrote emotional investments for every Toronto fan. The Toronto Blue Jays’ “what if” remains a haunting blueprint for missed opportunity in modern baseball history. Meanwhile, Los Angeles enjoys the spoils, proving sometimes genius simply prefers the city lights over Canadian snow.