In ensuring a controlled start to Game 2 today, LA’s Yoshinobu Yamamoto woke up the Blue Jays crowd fury. After two scoreless frames, in the bottom of the third, Toronto’s designated hitter George Springer walked in. What he was met with was a wayward sinker right off his arm.

It wasn’t just another hit by pitch for the Blue Jays faithful. Watching their star slugger — also the current public enemy no.1 in LA, thanks to his involvement in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal that possibly cost the Dodgers a ring — getting plunked called for a tit-for-tat. And the obvious counterpart? The current public enemy no.1 in Toronto. “Time to send Ohtani to the hospital,” a fan wrote in response.

It has been close to two years since that day in December 2023. Toronto was gearing up to welcome its newest star. Private flights were being tracked, and sushi place reservations were being reported; all in the excitement of watching Shohei Ohtani join the Blue Jays. But two days later, the pitcher’s Instagram profile saw ‘LA’ going up as a post.

For a long time, the Blue Jays had been a top prospect on Ohtani’s list. The club had agreed to the $700 million deal he had proposed, much like the Dodgers. But after months of anticipation, the 3x MVP, worth $150 million now, wasn’t going to grace Toronto, and the bitterness still lingers. It wasn’t as much Ohtani’s fault as it was of all the misinformation that rode on fans’ excitement. But there’s no taming the Blue Jays faithful.

When the World Series teams were announced, boos against Ohtani were already a given. And the Rogers Center lived up to it.

In Game 1, when the 31-year-old stepped on the plate in the ninth inning, Chants of “We don’t need you!” echoed through the stadium. They burst out again in Game 2 during the introduction. Ohtani doesn’t make much of it himself. 

According to manager Dave Roberts, the pitcher did not understand the chants to begin with, and he is accustomed to the boos in opposing ballparks. But this one, it took an unnecessarily brutal turn on social.

Blue Jays fans want more taken out of Shohei Ohtani after Springer’s HBP

The Rogers Centre crowd has never been subtle, and Game 2 of the World Series tested their creativity. Baseball drama, it seems, now comes with a side of fan theatrics.

After Springer got hit, one fan shouted, “Eye for an eye they needa do this to Ohtani now.” The pitcher has been no stranger to HBP throughout his career. Just earlier this season, San Diego’s Robert Suarez threw a pitch that not only visibly hurt the 31-year-old but also got him (Suarez) ejected. Ohtani, though, refused to let the matter escalate, maintaining calmness and asking his teammates not to rush to him. The same, however, cannot be said for the fans online.

“I am hoping someone plunks Ohtani with a fastball,” another wrote, revealing lingering frustration. Toronto fans have been stewing for over a year, still smarting over Ohtani choosing the Dodgers’ contract.

The sentiment echoed in “Blue Jays MUST respond to Springer getting HBP by drilling Ohtani.” That 2023 offseason, the Blue Jays could have had both Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, but it just wasn’t to be, and the fans just can’t get over the heartbreak.

No one was holding back. “Next time Shohei Ohtani goes to bat, she gets the ball as well. F**k them!” expressed another. For what it’s worth, the Blue Jays did manage one more regular-season win than the Dodgers and managed to secure an 11-4 Game 1 victory against a team that is investing north of a billion dollars on their pitchers. But they seem to relish more on booing Ohtani.

“I’m not suggesting an eye for eye or tit for tat but….wouldn’t it be a shame if Ohtani just happened to get in the way of a pitch. Oh and STOP HITTING GEORGE!” another added with some humor. By the end of the game, though, everyone exited unharmed, and Ohtani shared those chants were rather great.