Ohtani homers as Dodgers win a laugher over slumping Blue Jays

TORONTO – As much as this was a night of what-might-have-been for both the Toronto Blue Jays and Shohei Ohtani, a first-hand look at the partner on the path not taken, their first encounter since an unfulfilled winter dalliance was also about what is in the here and now.

For Ohtani, that’s shaking off some of the loudest boos for anyone at Rogers Centre in recent memory to homer in the first inning, and later walking and scoring during a six-run third in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ fifth straight win, a 12-2 romp.

For the Blue Jays, that’s deepening concern over the slumping duo of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette atop their dormant lineup, the grim realities of what that means when their pitching staff doesn’t pin a game down, and a downturn now at five losses in six outings.

The off-season baggage combined with the current divergence in fortunes made for a weird vibe before a crowd of 39,688 on Friday.

Ohtani looked like exactly what the Blue Jays are missing in their lineup. The Dodgers banged out 18 hits – including additional homers by Max Muncy and Will Smith – while knocking out Chris Bassitt in 2.2 innings, forcing manager John Schneider to run through five relievers before asking Isiah Kiner-Falefa to pitch the ninth.

This was definitively the Blue Jays’ worst game of the season.

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