The Toronto Blue Jays took down the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-4, in a Game 1 rout to kick off the World Series.
History was made on several different levels for the Blue Jays, highlighted by a nine-run sixth inning. Even after superstar Shohei Ohtani salvaged two runs via a 357-foot homer in the seventh, Rogers Centre let the National League MVP frontrunner hear it during his final at-bat of the night.
“We don’t need you,” is what the jeers directed at Ohtani were, referencing Ohtani’s free agency decision to sign with the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 campaign after narrowing his decision down to Toronto and LA.
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Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, who had not only been out since September due to a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his knee, but also made his major league debut at second base during Game 1 of the World Series, spoke on the home crowd’s taunts.
“That was pretty funny. All in good fun, right?” Bichette said.
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Since both teams appear to be doing well since Ohtani’s decision given the setting of the chants, Bichette has a point.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider reopened the free agency saga ahead of the World Series, joking about the gear that was used to recruit Ohtani (and a gift given to his dog, Decoy), which may have added some motivation behind the chants.
“He’s a great player,” Schneider said Thursday. “I hope he brought his hat, the Blue Jays hat that he took from us in our meeting, I hope he brought it back finally — and the jacket for decoy, you know, it’s like, give us our stuff back already.”
Whether Schneider was expecting a response or not, the slugger/pitcher gave one, and added a classy response that the baseball world has grown to expect from the three-time MVP.
“It’s in my garage,” Ohtani responded. “I plan to keep it because it was something that was a gift.
“I really had a wonderful time getting to know them,” Ohtani said. “The impression I got was they were very top class. Awesome people. And so now, in the circumstance that we get to play them, it’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
As Bichette said, the chats appear to be in good fun and part of the competitive nature that comes with playing baseball on the biggest stage.
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