Insider expands on why Shohei Ohtani snubbed Yankees, Mets

The New York Yankees and New York Mets apparently won't just miss out on signing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in free agency. It appears neither club was ever in the running to land his signature. 

MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Tuesday night that Ohtani told an unnamed "clubhouse source" during the 2023 season that "he couldn’t see himself playing in New York, which is also what he told the Yankees six years ago before signing with" the Los Angeles Angels. 

Heyman offered that update after Yankees beat writer Randy Miller of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com noted earlier on Tuesday that the Yankees quickly realized this offseason that Ohtani "didn’t want to play for them when he first came over from Japan six years ago and they know nothing’s changed."

Heyman added that "it seems logical to think the Yankees and Mets may never have had a realistic shot at" signing Ohtani. Both teams reportedly are instead pursuing Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Wednesday morning that the Bronx Bombers trading for San Diego Padres All-Star outfielder Juan Soto could be finalized before Thursday. 

Ohtani recently has been linked with a return to the Angels and also with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays. Heyman wrote that "the Dodgers have been seen going on a year as the favorite for Ohtani," in part because the 29-year-old likes living in Southern California. However, Heyman mentioned that the phenom could pick the Blue Jays because Toronto is "not New York as a media center, and he seems to like to keep things quiet." 

Individuals seemingly close to the Yankees dropped hints early in the summer suggesting the club wouldn't and/or couldn't win the Ohtani sweepstakes. As for the Mets, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan said in October he thought big-spending owner Steve Cohen would "be right in the middle of things" regarding Ohtani's free-agency journey. 

Ohtani reportedly could make up to $600M total from his next MLB contract, and his numerous endorsement deals will make up for any cash he leaves on the table by turning Cohen down.