Kazuma Okamoto has been an immediate hit in his first season in North America and has etched his name on a formidable list of Japanese sluggers.

Okamoto has 30 homers in his rookie season and will look to go deep for the third straight contest when the Toronto Blue Jays close a three-game series against the Athletics on Wednesday afternoon at West Sacramento, Calif.

Okamoto, 30, homered to left field in the second inning of Tuesday's 4-2 triumph to become the fifth Japanese player to hit 30 or more homers in a season.

Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox also did it this season. The others are Shohei Ohtani (six times), Hideki Matsui and Seiya Suzuki.

"He's swinging, man. That's a pretty cool milestone," Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters about Okamoto. "That's a pretty good list he just joined of Japanese players. But he's got that ability. The guy is swinging the bat well."

Okamoto also is the first Toronto rookie to hit 30 homers in a season.

"Definitely, it's great to get to 30 in my first year, but we've still got a few games to go here," Okamoto told reporters through an interpreter. "I want to flip the switch and focus on the games moving forward."

Josh Smith hit a homer immediately before Okamoto as Toronto (73-73) won for the eighth time in 11 games. The Blue Jays remain one game behind the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the third and final American League wild-card berth.

Carlos Cortes and Donovan Walton hit solo homers for the Athletics (58-88), who lost for just the second time in the past seven games.

"He's been a solid part of the lineup with consistent at-bats," Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said of Walton, who had two hits for the first time since Aug. 19.

Athletics All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers (right knee surgery on July 28) is slated to begin a rehab stint with Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday. He could join the A's on Tuesday for the start of a road series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Langeliers, who has 23 homers in 93 games, is not expected to catch again this season. He would be used as a designated hitter and pinch hitter.

"We want to make sure that we don't put stress on the knee so that he comes back here and can physically handle a workload," Kotsay told reporters. "... We'll monitor that workload and make sure we don't overdo anything with him."

The A's and Blue Jays will go with a bullpen game Wednesday. Right-hander Braydon Fisher (3-4, 3.20 ERA) will open for Toronto, and left-hander Brady Basso (1-2, 4.32) will be the first pitcher for the Athletics.

Fisher, 26, will make his 70th appearance of the season and will take the mound first for the ninth time. He hasn't pitched more than an inning since tossing two scoreless innings of relief against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 9. Toronto lost 7-6 in 12 innings.

Fisher's last appearance was Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. He faced two batters -- striking out one and walking one -- in his team's 6-1 loss.

Fisher has a 9.64 ERA over 4 2/3 innings in five appearances (one start) against the Athletics. However, he has thrown 2 1/3 hitless innings in two outings against the A's this season.

Denzel Clarke homered when Fisher served as an opener against the A's on May 31, 2025. Fisher gave up five runs and four hits over 1 1/3 innings.

Wednesday will mark the fifth time Basso will open a game this season. He pitched three innings of shutout relief to get the victory in a 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday. He allowed three hits and one walk.

Basso, 28, has never faced the Blue Jays in 40 career appearances over three seasons.

--Field Level Media