In what must have been a first for both men, baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani was mistaken for Canadian businessman and Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec on Friday.
The confusion arose Friday when MLB's top free agent was reportedly headed to Toronto amid rumors he was leaning toward signing with the Blue Jays. When MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported that the former Los Angeles Angels star was flying from Southern California to Toronto, fans began following private jets in hopes of pinpointing Ohtani's exact location.
One flight in particular seemed destined to carry Ohtani after it departed from Santa Ana, near Anaheim – the city where Ohtani has played for the past six years.
But soon after, Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Heyman of the New York Post both reported that Ohtani had never left his home in Southern California.
Ultimately, CBC photographer Evan Mitsui confirmed that the private plane was not flying Ohtani to Toronto, but rather Herjavec.
In what must have been a first for both men, Shohei Ohtani was mistaken for Robert Herjavec
Baseball fans across North America followed a private jet from Anaheim to Toronto
The founder and CEO of global cybersecurity company Cyderes had some fun with the confusion by reposting the playful message from NFL Network's Rich Eisen on Friday night.
“To anyone hoping to spot Ohtani,” read Eisen's post on X, which features a smiling Herjavec waving.
Sources recently told DailyMail.com that the Toronto Blue Jays are the current favorites to sign the Japanese superstar over other teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Angels.
With contract offers reportedly in the $600 million range, the two-way sensation is believed to have met with Blue Jays officials earlier this week at the team's spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also revealed that his club has met with Ohtani.
While there are many different variables at play when it comes to signing with a Canadian team – money being one of them – sources told Mail Sport that Ohtani's desire to win is one of the main driving forces behind his decision.
“He feels Toronto will be able to compete in the coming years and he would be a beacon for other free agents to join him in creating a winning team,” sources told Mail Sport. “And he would also be able to live outside of the constant spotlight of LA.”
The founder and CEO of global cybersecurity company Cyderes had some fun with the confusion by reposting the playful message from NFL Network's Rich Eisen on Friday night
Sources added that while there is some familiarity with the state of California after playing for the Angels since moving to North America, playing for the Dodgers could prove daunting – as Ohtani values his privacy.
While Ohtani understands that the Dodgers will remain in the mix for a World Series title, he also knows that “there's going to be a lot of baggage that comes with being part of that team and always having to be the star off the field while making sure his star on the field continues to rise.'
Sources added, “He'll need a little more convincing for what many think is an inevitability of him joining the Dodgers, it's definitely not a guarantee.”
Ohtani hopes to make his decision before Christmas and sources reiterated: “It really looks like Toronto will be the choice. It's going to take a great offer and a great situation from another team to not choose Toronto.”
Since arriving in Anaheim in 2018, Ohtani has developed into MLB's first true two-way star since Babe Ruth.
He would work alongside superstars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. help build a powerful new Jays team
He won AL Rookie of the Year in 2018 and the AL MVP award in 2021 and 2023.
In 2023 alone, Ohtani led the league in home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS and total bases while posting a 3.14 ERA and striking out 11.4 batters per nine innings.
Unfortunately, he suffered another serious elbow injury and underwent his second Tommy John surgery, which will keep him from pitching until 2025 at the earliest.
Despite this, Ohtani is rumored to be in the running for a nearly $600 million contract.
Toronto was widely considered a dark horse to try and land Ohtani, but now it seems like only a matter of time before he packs up and moves to the Great White North.
Ohtani is attracted to the lack of pressure in Toronto, like in LA, and their ability to win now
Last season, the Blue Jays made it to the AL Wild Card round before being swept by the Minnesota Twins.
If he does come to Toronto, he will be working with other superstars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.
The Jays made the playoffs in three of the past four seasons and never won a single game in the three Wild Card series in which they played.
Toronto last made a deep playoff run in 2016, when they went to the ALCS before falling to the Cleveland Indians in five games.