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Does Shohei Ohtani‘s dog, which made a cameo appearance during his 2023 American League MVP acceptance video, hold the key to his free agency?
That’s what some around the baseball world are speculating while introducing some absolutely wild conspiracy theories in the process.
The conspiracy theories began on an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out.
"The rumor I have heard is that Shohei Ohtani’s dog's name — the reason they're not saying it — is because the dog's name is the name of one of the teams he is considering."
— @PabloTorre 👀 pic.twitter.com/XtT57zuUKm
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) December 8, 2023
Torre, while speaking to guests Dan Le Batard and Mina Kimes, said that he’d been told that the dog’s name has not been revealed because the dog’s name is the name of one of the team’s hoping to sign him in free agency.
Of course, this immediately caused laughter among Le Batard and Kimes, the latter of whom suggested that the dog must be named Dodger, for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
One of the owners of the X (formerly Twitter) account Cespedes Family BBQ (run by Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman) then added fuel to fire.
“Somebody at winter meetings presented the following theory to me RE: Ohtani’s dog name. The dog is not his dog. Dog was a rental, or as this genius called it, a “prop pup” Ohtani FA is now SO mysterious that we have accusations of fake dogs & opera singers tweeting about sushi,” they tweeted.
A PROP PUP!
If that’s not the most doggone thing we’ve ever heard!
Thankfully, Ohtani’s free agency appears to be nearing an end. Jon Morosi of the MLB Network reported Friday morning that a decision would likely come within the next 24 hours.
Morosi also stated the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays appear to lead the way.
So maybe Kimes was onto something. Or maybe the dog is named Jay?! Who can say?!
If the dog even exists at all.
Maybe the real dog was the friends we made along the way?