Hazel Mae, Ken Rosenthal, Jon Heyman, and more reported Michael Brantley to Toronto before he went to Houston

Baseball transactions have often seen some unexpected people breaking news, whether that’s wetbutt23 and KatyPerrysBootyHole or Brendon Kuhn and Joey Vendetta. But Wednesday provided a remarkable reversal there, with TV host Hazel Mae and multiple U.S. baseball insiders (including Ken Rosenthal of Fox and The Athletic and Jon Heyman of MLB Network) reporting that outfielder Michael Brantley was headed to the Toronto Blue Jays before the eventual confirmation that he was instead returning to the Houston Astros (where he played last year, as shown above). Here are those initial reports:

https://twitter.com/thehazelmae/status/1351935496629460999

Source confirms: Free-agent Michael Brantley in agreement with Blue Jays on a three-year contract, pending physical. First: @thehazelmae.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 20, 2021

Jays agree to Michael Brantley deal @thehazelmae 1st

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2021

And here are some of the later corrections and rebuttals from those who didn’t initially report that:

There is not an agreement in place between outfielder Michael Brantley and the Toronto Blue Jays, according to a source. The Blue Jays are among the teams still in on Brantley, and a deal may eventually get done, but it is not finished.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 20, 2021

https://twitter.com/thehazelmae/status/1351956672013598725

Now hearing same as @Feinsand and @JeffPassan: No agreement yet between Blue Jays and Brantley. Two sides remain in discussions. Apologies for being among those who reported deal prematurely.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 20, 2021

There is no deal for Michael Brantley. The sides continue to talk. Sorry for jumping the gun. https://t.co/2SBHAXJmNE

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2021

So looks as though Michael Brantley is going to Houston … interest from #BlueJays never materialized in a deal https://t.co/GwIZaXfXfm

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) January 20, 2021

As noted Tuesday, baseball is a sport where local sources can sometimes break national news before the national insiders get it. But in this case, the initial reports appear to have been premature. And that led to some awkward tweets Wednesday for those who reported that the Brantley deal was done in Toronto before the actual news of that deal being done in Houston emerged.

[Photo from Robert Hanashiro/USA Today Sports]