Kyle Tucker’s visit to Dunedin: will we relive the Shohei Ohtani scenario in Toronto?

As recently as Wednesday, Kyle Tucker visited the Toronto Blue Jays' practice facility in Dunedin, Florida. The star outfielder met with team officials in their state-of-the-art facilities.

While all this sounds positive for the Blue Jays, the visit is reminiscent of December 2023, when Shohei Ohtani made a similar visit, albeit secretly.

The Toronto club wants to do everything it can to win. https://t.co/CemBpcnmPM

– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) December 4, 2025

This had taken place on Monday, December 4, with Blue Jays executives going to great lengths to conceal the Nippon's presence in Florida. General Manager Ross Atkins had even held a Zoom call from an undisclosed location instead of attending the winter meetings, while Ohtani's agent had mysteriously disappeared from Nashville.

The secrecy lasted exactly three days, just before the chaos, with reports emerging on Friday that the Japanese was on a plane to Toronto for a second meeting. None of this was true, as Ohtani was sipping apple juice in his living room in Southern California.

Will Jays fans relive the nightmare of 2023?

The difference between 2023 and 2025 lies in transparency. Tucker's visit leaked immediately and looks like standard recruiting protocol rather than desperation on the part of the Blue Jays.

But, until proven otherwise, the parallel will remain of showcasing the team's facilities, creating the market and ultimately watching the player sign elsewhere.

And once again, if such a scenario occurs, it won't be for lack of trying. The Blue Jays will spend what it takes to build a winning roster, having built a club that aspired to greatness, even pushing the Los Angeles Dodgers to the limit for the World Series title.

This content was created with the help of AI.