Red Sox Rival Reportedly Could Join Shohei Ohtani Sweepstakes In Surprise Move

Could one of the Red Sox's rivals actually land Ohtani this offseason?

The American League East could get significantly more difficult this offseason.

Many already consider the AL East to be the best division in baseball but it could get even better thanks to superstar Shohei Ohtani. The two-way star has been linked to the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees on various occasions but another surprise club could get in the mix. Ohtani reportedly has "taken notice" of the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. 

"The biggest prize, of course, is Shohei Ohtani, and some industry chatter in recent weeks suggested he’d be more open to an East Coast club this time around, had taken notice of the Blue Jays’ player-development resources, and that the idea of adding a third country, Canada, to his prime fanbase carried some appeal for him," Davidi said. "Whether that’s more than just the usual grist for the mill is a fair question, but it also underlines the current stakes for the Blue Jays."

If Ohtani were to join the Blue Jays, that would be devastating for the Red Sox. Toronto is loaded with young talent and has made strides over the last few years. Toronto won 89 games in 2023 without Ohtani. If they were to add the two-way superstar they immediately would be catapulted into World Series contender territory. 

Pairing Ohtani with young slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette would be an intriguing trio, to say the least. It's unclear exactly what will happen and isn't too surprising that other teams will get involved in the Ohtani sweepstakes. Hopefully, if Ohtani doesn't land with Boston, it isn't in the AL East.

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