Goodbye Shohei Ohtani. Hello Cody Bellinger?
The Toronto Blue Jays lost out on getting the top free agent of the offseason when Ohtani agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers.
But could they be getting closer to a deal with Cody Bellinger? Model Chase Carter, Bellinger’s fiancee, posted an Instagram story featuring the Toronto skyline.
Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP with the Dodgers, hit a career-high .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBIs and a .881 OPS in 2023 with the Cubs. He also won a Silver Slugger.
‘‘Cody did have a great experience in Chicago,’’ Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, said at the general managers meetings. ‘‘ . . . But where Cody can play and play well — he feels he can play well anywhere.’’
Twitter, er, we mean X, went all aflutter last weekend with rumors that Ohtani was seen on a plane to Toronto, prompting speculation that he was about to sign with the Blue Jays. That obviously turned out to be false.
So what about Carter’s Toronto post? Maybe it’s a hint about Bellinger’s plans. Or maybe it was a reference to the Toronto Fashion Expo, which is being held this week.