Shohei Ohtani's agent comforts Blue Jays fans after rumors of potential signing yield no result: “I felt really bad for the country of Canada"

When Shohei Ohtani announced his 10-year, $700 million contract with the LA Dodgers, many around the baseball world rejoiced. However, for one fanbase, muted dissapointment was among the only sentiments felt.

Up until the very end of his free agency, it looked like a distinct possibility that the Toronto Blue Jays would become Ohtani's new team. Days before his deal in LA, Jays fans were even tracking a flight from California to Toronto with great interest, as they believed that Shohei Ohtani was on that flight.

However, it was not to be. Despite big talking from general manager Ross Atkins and a never-ending succession of media pundits claiming that Shohei was headed north, the 29-year old reigning MVP decided to stay on familiar turf.

In a recent interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Ned Balelo, Ohtani's agent, revealed that he felt sorry for Jays fans. Undoubtedly privy to the passion, excitement and intrigue that Toronto Blue Jays fans were espousing, Balelo issued consoling remarks:

"I felt really, really bad for the country of Canada. And I felt really, really bad for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. They are really good people. What they had to endure, and the pain, wasn't right.

"I felt so bad for all of them that they had to go through that because it was the extreme emotional roller coaster of thinking that they had him and then finding out they didn't" - Ned Balelo

Under his deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani will see some $680 million of the $700 million deal deferred until the termination of his contract in 2034.

Many have slammed the terms of the deferral, arguing that it creates an even deeper rift between a deep-pocketed team like the Dodgers and some of the league's poorer clubs. On account of the deferral, the Dodgers will save about $24 million on their payroll annually.

---

Shohei Ohtani was always going to stay in Los Angeles

A member of the Los Angeles Angels for seven seasons, Shohei Ohtani has deep ties to southern California.

Although he would have been given the most esteemed of welcomes from Jays fans, familiarity is often the biggest factor in free agency. Additionally, the Dodgers look closer to a World Series than the Jays do.

As Ohtani has not yet had the chance to appear in a postseason game, fans in Toronto may need to exercise some Canadian forgiveness.