Jon Morosi apologizes for inaccurate reporting regarding Ohtani’s travels to Toronto

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi issued an apology on Friday night for sharing what he acknowledged as “inaccurate information” about Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani, causing a stir in the baseball community.

Morosi had briefly created excitement on social media by reporting that Ohtani was en route to Toronto to sign with the Blue Jays, a claim also hinted at by Dodgers beat writer J.P. Hoornstra. This led fans to track flights bound for Toronto anticipating Ohtani’s arrival.

However, several other media outlets contradicted the reports.

“Shohei Ohtani is NOT in Toronto. Ohtani is NOT on a flight to Toronto. Ohtani is at home in Southern California,” said USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale in his X post.

Ben Nicholson-Smith from Sportsnet and Jon Heyman from the New York Post also contradicted Morosi’s report, saying that Ohtani was at his residence in Southern California and not en route to Canada.

Both Morosi and Hoornstra then later admitted their error, with Morosi writing a sincere apology.

“Today, I posted reporting that included inaccurate information that Shohei Ohtani was traveling to Toronto. I regret the mistake and apologize to baseball fans everywhere. I am deeply sorry for letting you down,” said Morosi on his X account.

Furious fans

Initially, there was uncertainty in the baseball community regarding the legitimacy of Morosi’s reports, considering Ohtani’s expressed preference for playing on the West Coast in the future. Even if he considered moving away from the West Coast, Toronto would have been too distant from his established playing base in Los Angeles.

Despite this, some fans believed Morosi’s report, especially when he mentioned that Ohtani had gone through customs at the LA airport for a trip to Canada. However, any speculation was put to rest when other insiders confirmed that Ohtani was still in the city.

Fans expressed their anger towards Morosi on X for sharing information that was not verified.

“You’re done,” said one fan on their X post.

“Stop guessing and trying to be ahead of the reporting. Be diligent and accurate. Find the real story and report it as that. Too much false info flows everywhere. Rather be the last one in line with real truth then first with hearsay. Best to you in the future and live and learn. Be better,” said another fan.

The rush to break the Ohtani news resulted in unintentional misinformation, but it was seen as part of the unpredictable nature of sports reporting. Morosi and Hoornstra did not intend to troll fans.

Ohtani joins Dodgers with $700 million deal

Ohtani has achieved a financial milestone to complement his on-field achievements, securing a $700 million deal for a relocation of just 30 miles up Interstate 5 to join the Los Angeles Dodgers. His agent, Nez Balelo, released a statement on Saturday afternoon, officially confirming the 10-year contract.

This announcement concludes months of speculation that commenced even before Ohtani entered free agency on November 2. In the preceding days, both media and fans had closely monitored private plane movements and reported sightings, acting like detectives in an attempt to unravel the intentions of the two-time AL MVP previously associated with the Angels.

“This is a unique, historic contract for a unique, historic player,” said Balelo. “He is excited to begin this partnership, and he structured his contract to reflect a true commitment from both sides to long-term success.”