Blue Jays looking to Okamoto to help replace some of Bo’s offence

Rookie third-baseman is 7th Japanese-born player in franchise history

During Mariners batting practice at the Skydome early in 2001, on Seattle’s first trip to town with prized rookie outfielder, Ichiro Suzuki, a curious Toronto Star columnist asked M’s GM Pat Gillick how many more Japanese players, who were active at the time, could come over and be successful in major-league baseball. The former Jays GM paused and requested time to think about it. Minutes later, the future Hall-of-Famer returned to the conversation suggest there might be, maybe, nine more who could follow in the ensuing few years … and that most of them were pitchers.

Prior to Ichiro’s breakthrough signing with the M’s in ‘01, there had been 10 previous Japanese players that recorded at least one game in the majors and all of them were pitchers. The first to cross the ocean had been lefthander Masanori Murakami, signed by the Giants as much out of curiosity and marketing than anything else. Murakami returned to Japan in 1966 after a brief Giants stint and MLB did not try again until the Dodgers signed RHP Hideo Nomo, who made his debut, May 2, 1995.

Now entering the 26^th season since Ichiro broke through as the first position player from the Land of the Rising Sun, in that time there have been 64 Japanese players to make their debut in MLB. Gillick was right about there being more pitchers likely than position players. Among the 64 post-Ichiro Japanese, count 43 pitchers and 21 players. This year, add three more Japanese-born players, RHP Tatsuya Imai (Astros), 1B Munetaka Murakami (White Sox) and 3B Kazuma Okamoto (Jays).

For Toronto it has not been for lack of trying. The Blue Jays list of seven Japanese-born players with at least one game in the majors, includes: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2022-24); RHP Tomo Ohka (2007); RHP Ryota Igarishi (2012); INF Munenori Kawasaki (2013-15); OF Nori Aoki (2017); RHP Shun Yamaguchi (2020) and, now, Okamoto. The rookie third-baseman becomes the highest profile free-agent to sign directly from the Japanese Leagues. The Jays notably struck out on several previous high-profile recruiting attempts like Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, Yosh Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.

The 29-year-old Okamoto comes over to North America with solid credentials that seem to fit the recent Blue Jays classic batting profile – good bat-to-ball-skills with a low strikeout rate and midling power. He has averaged 31 home runs per season in his eight years from age 22-29. Solid. The question becomes how will his power in the Japanese Leagues translate and how playable are his defensive skills at the hot corner. Can he remain in games, late innings, with a lead of less than three runs?

When asked to describe himself in his first availability with Blue Jays media, through his interpreter he suggested with tiongue firmly in cheek: “I’m very serious … and very manly.” Then after a short pause, he started to laugh at himself. Good start.

Okamoto is slated to play third-base for Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. It will be worth paying attention for Blue Jays fans to see how the veteran newcomer responds in big situations as he looks to replace a large portion of Bo Bichette’s presence in the middle of the lineup with the Defending AL champs.