The Blue Jays are serious about being busy this offseason. After making it all the way to Game 7 of the World Series last year, the Blue Jays want to show their fans that they are serious about winning and will do whatever it takes to bring a championship back to Toronto. After signing RHP Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal, the Blue Jays shifted their focus toward building up the offense to create one of the strongest powerhouses in the American League.

Enter the newest addition to the lineup: Kazuma Okamoto, who is expected to shift between the middle infield and serve as the Blue Jays’ super utility player. Okamoto is a 29-year-old from Gojo, Japan, and can play multiple positions. His primary position is third base, but he also has experience at first base and in the outfield. He is expected to line up as the Blue Jays’ primary third baseman, splitting time with Ernie Clement. Wherever Okamoto is needed, he will provide power.

His numbers in Japan speak for themselves, and I believe they will translate well to the major leagues. Beginning with his breakout season in 2018, Okamoto exploded onto the scene with the Yomiuri Giants. In 143 games, a career high at the time, he recorded 167 hits, 82 runs, 33 home runs, and 100 RBIs, with a slash line of .309/.394/.541/.935 and 292 total bases.

From 2018 to 2023, Okamoto averaged at least 31 home runs per season, with his peak coming in 2023 when he hit 41 home runs. He is a true power threat whose numbers should play well at Rogers Centre. During this stretch, he recorded two seasons with 100 or more RBIs and consistently averaged between 83 and 113 RBIs. He combines power and slugging in a way that makes him a constant threat in the lineup.

Across 11 seasons with the Giants, Okamoto has played in 1,377 games, collecting 1,372 hits, 277 home runs, 872 RBIs, and 580 walks, with a career slash line of .274/.355/.501/.856 and 2,510 total bases. In 2024, he remained a consistent hitter, posting 27 home runs and 83 RBIs. The following season, injuries limited him to just 77 games, but even in that shortened year he maintained strong production, slashing .322/.411/.581/.992 while hitting 15 home runs and driving in 51 runs.

The numbers from Japan will not translate perfectly to Major League Baseball, but they are more than enough to show that Okamoto is not a player to be ignored. Out of the group that included Tatsuya Imai and Munetaka Murakami, Okamoto received the highest contract, even without having the strongest raw statistics of the three. At four years and $60 million, this is a very affordable deal for Toronto. Now it is time for Okamoto to prove that he is worth far more than $15 million per year.