Where the Toronto Blue Jays Go After Missing Out on Shohei Ohtani

In the wake of missing out on Shohei Ohtani in free agency, here is what the Toronto Blue Jays need to do.

The Toronto Blue Jays were dealt a crushing blow on Saturday afternoon when superstar Shohei Ohtani announced he was choosing to continue his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This was especially heartbreaking for the fans in Toronto after Friday’s reports of Ohtani signing with the Jays spurred massive optimism and hope. 

As of Friday afternoon, tickets for the Blue Jays home opener were already sold out - presumably based around Ohtani hope and hype.

As the organization attempts to pick up the pieces, where should it go from here?

They should immediately make shortstop Bo Bichette the face of the franchise and begin working on a contract extension for him.

While some would say that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. should be  the priority, Bichette is the engine that makes the offense go. If the Jays were truly one of the finalists for Ohtani, they have the money to make Bichette an offer he can't refuse before he hits free agency after the 2025 season - and they should do it. Something in the $250-$300 million range should be a great place to start the conversation with the 25-year-old two-time All-Star, and would still represent a massive savings from whatever they offered Ohtani.

Locking up Bichette long term would also go a long way towards rallying a fanbase that is no doubt feeling hurt right now.

Despite the news of losing out on Ohtani, the Blue Jays still figure to be very strong in 2024 and remain a contender in the American League. They have Bichette, Guerrero Jr., and George Springer to anchor their lineup, while having Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Chris Bassitt to anchor their starting rotation.

Luckily for them, Ohtani went to a team in the National League, so they don't have to face him more than once or twice a season.

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