Shohei Ohtani Rumor Shifts Blue Jays Futures Dramatically

The Major League Baseball world awaits Shohei Ohtani’s decision, and one rumor got social media and the betting markets fired up Friday.

J.P. Hoornstra of the Dodgers Nation blog, citing multiple sources, reported Ohtani was signing with the Toronto Blue Jays.

That might not be the case, though, as multiple reporters, including ESPN’s Alden González and USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale, said a decision had not been made. But Ohtani still could wind up on the Blue Jays.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Friday morning that Ohtani’s decision was imminent. And fans awaited Friday afternoon for a decision to be finalized and for reports to come to a consensus.

The betting markets were not as patient.

Toronto’s World Series odds on DraftKings Sportsbook went from 16-1 to 7-1 in just a day. That made it the co-favorite to win the World Series with the Atlanta Braves. The Blue Jays also became the favorite to win the American League pennant at +350.

The Blue Jays also opened at 16-1 to win the World Series at BetMGM, and those odds shortened to 11-1 once the Ohtani rumor floated around, according to data analyst John Ewing.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were a heavy favorite to sign Ohtani before the winter meetings, and the Blue Jays had 5-1 odds to sign the two-way superstar. But that sentiment might be changing.

The market movement is an example of how quickly things can shift based on any new information that floats out into the news cycle. Those who bought in early on the Blue Jays will be rewarded if Ohtani does land in Toronto. But those who are buying high will regret it dearly if the 29-year-old superstar chooses another destination.