He may be the most sought-after player in baseball history. He is also one of the game’s greatest mysteries.
The circus surrounding Shohei Ohtani is barrelling toward a conclusion, with the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers considered favourites to land the two-way international superstar. But Ohtani is demanding secrecy, saying nothing and threatening to hold leaks against teams. Even 鈥 or its breed, or if it鈥檚 actually his dog in the first place 鈥 is impossible.
So we鈥檙e left to speculate about what he wants and who is in the best position to offer it. The only clues are in Ohtani鈥檚 track record over a decade in the public eye.
Ohtani was 鈥榓 child who would try anything鈥
Ohtani was born in 1994 in rural Oshu, Japan, 500 kilometres north of Tokyo. His mother Kayoko played badminton at a national level in high school, the Los Angeles Times , while his father Toru played semi-professional baseball and worked night shifts at a car assembly job. He has two older siblings: brother Ryuta and sister Yuka, .
Ohtani 鈥渨as a child who would try anything,鈥 Toru told the Mainichi in 2017. 鈥淚f you didn鈥檛 take care to watch him, it was dangerous.鈥
He first played baseball at age seven or eight and when he reached junior high school, he began playing with a club in Ichinoseki, a half-hour drive south of his hometown. Toru also joined the team as a coach.
He taught his son baseball fundamentals, the Mainichi reported, but also respect for the game. Don鈥檛 take your frustrations out on your equipment, Toru advised. It鈥檚 not productive.
An early Blue Jays connection
In 2010, Ohtani began high school at Hanamaki Higashi, one year after the school reached the final of the national baseball invitational tournament known as Spring Koshien. It was the school鈥檚 first and only trip to the final 鈥 and the team was led聽 by current Blue Jays starter Yusei Kikuchi, who pitched the 2009 final .
Kikuchi graduated before Ohtani enrolled. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have the sense that we went to the same high school,鈥 Ohtani in Japanese. 鈥淚 think of him more as someone I admired.鈥
Ohtani took Kikuchi鈥檚 jersey No. 17, which he later wore with the Los Angeles Angels. The pair faced each other twice in Japan, and their clashes in North America are events of national significance back home.
When Kikuchi鈥檚 Seattle Mariners faced Ohtani and the Angels in May 2019 鈥 their first matchup in Major League Baseball 鈥 nearly every spot in the 150-seat press box at Seattle鈥檚 T-Mobile Park was filled, .
鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like the older brother facing the younger brother,鈥 Tokyo-based journalist Yua Ishida told the Times in Japanese at the time. 鈥淭hey were developed by the same coach at the same high school, so they have the same DNA.鈥
Next season is the last of Kikuchi鈥檚 three-year, $36-million (U.S.) contract with the聽 聽Jays. In Ohtani鈥檚 tight-lipped free agency soap opera, many have speculated Kikuchi could help build Toronto鈥檚 case.
Playing pro in Japan
At 18 years old, Ohtani rocked the boat.
He announced his intention to pursue a career in Major League Baseball, rather than enter Japan鈥檚 amateur draft and play professionally there. He already had a fastball that reached 100 m.p.h. and had been scouted by the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
鈥淚 think I will start in the minor leagues, but I want to challenge in the majors,鈥 Ohtani said in 2012, . 鈥淚t鈥檚 been my dream since entering high school.鈥
Despite the declaration, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters took Ohtani first overall in the Nippon Professional Baseball draft. Like the teams wooing Ohtani now, the Fighters made their pitch in a presentation called 鈥淭he Path to Realizing Shohei Ohtani鈥檚 Dream.鈥
“It showed the really tough stuff that young minor leaguers have to go through,鈥 author Robert Whiting . “But it also highlighted how he would be an instant star with Nippon-Ham, how family and friends would be there, how he would have this comfortable cocoon.”
The pitch worked. Ohtani signed with the Fighters and played as a two-way player in 2013 at age 18, although his numbers 鈥 a .643 OPS and 4.02 ERA 鈥 were a far cry from his full potential. He improved dramatically the next season, hitting 10 home runs at the plate and starting 24 games on the mound with a 2.61 ERA.
His breakout came in 2016 at age 21. Offensively, Ohtani played the most games of his career while batting .322 with 22 home runs and a 1.004 OPS. On the mound, he posted a 1.86 ERA in 140 innings. He won Pacific League MVP and became the first player to win the Best Nine award as both a designated hitter and pitcher.
A nagging right ankle injury held Ohtani back in 2017, when he missed that year鈥檚 World Baseball Classic and a significant chunk of the regular season. He underwent surgery on his ankle in October 2017.
That didn鈥檛 stop Ohtani from being posted for MLB teams one month later.
A secretive nature
Even as MLB teams courted Ohtani, his secrecy remained paramount. 鈥淚f he has interests outside baseball (besides video games) they remain safely guarded secrets,鈥 Dylan Hern谩ndez wrote in the Los Angeles Times in 2017.
What does he like to do when not playing baseball? 鈥淲ork out,鈥 he told the Times. As of 2017, he didn鈥檛 have a driver鈥檚 licence and didn鈥檛 go out for food or drinks, according to the Times. While earning a $2.4-million (U.S.) salary from the Fighters, Ohtani鈥檚 parents oversaw his finances. His mother Kayoko deposited around $1,000 into his bank account every month.
Money wasn鈥檛 the top concern when signing in 2017. In coming to MLB at age 23, Ohtani was forced to sign a minor-league contract and remain under team control for six years, per the rules governing foreign players under 25. Since signing, Ohtani has earned just over $42 million. If he had waited two seasons, he could have earned tens of millions 鈥 or even hundreds of millions 鈥 more.
Ohtani鈥檚 agent, Nez Balelo of CAA Sports, in November 2017 to all 30 teams outlining what Ohtani would look for from clubs. He wanted to hear an evaluation of his talent, the team鈥檚 player development philosophies and capabilities, their major-league and spring training facilities, their plan to integrate him into the organization, and why the city is a desirable place to play, among other factors.
After being chased by the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, Ohtani surprised many by choosing to sign with the Angels.
Ohtani is still represented by Balelo.
Top-secret free agency
The Dodgers are in聽 on Ohtani again and are the only team that has confirmed meeting with him 鈥 potentially to their detriment, if Ohtani鈥檚 reported gag order is as strict as it appears. After manager Dave Roberts confirmed the team met with Ohtani, the Dodgers鈥 president of baseball operations and general manager both declined to comment.
The Blue Jays are as tight-lipped as ever. Called away from winter meetings Monday because of a 鈥渟cheduling conflict,鈥 general manager Ross Atkins held a virtual press conference from a location he refused to share. The Athletic later reported the team is at its player development complex in Dunedin, Fla.
It is all part of an exhilarating chase for the Blue Jays and their聽 base. If you believe the tea leaves, 海角社区官网may be on the cusp of winning one of the greatest free-agent prizes in North American history. Or maybe not.
Until Ohtani signs, who really knows?
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