Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Collects three hits in win
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Okamoto went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Nationals.
After singling twice across his first four plate appearances, Okamoto delivered the biggest hit of the night in the eighth inning, ripping a two-run double to extend Toronto's lead. The rookie has bounced back nicely after opening the second half in an 0-for-22 slump, collecting eight hits over his last five games. Through 106 contests this year, Okamoto is slashing .231/.308/.453 with 24 home runs, 14 doubles, 68 RBI, 57 runs scored and one stolen base.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Blasts homer in loss
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Okamoto went 1-for-2 with a homer and two runs scored in Toronto's 8-6 loss to Washington on Tuesday.
After replacing the injured Vladimir Guerrero (hamstring) at first base in the bottom of the fourth inning, Okamoto clubbed a homer in his first at-bat in the fifth. The 30-year-old later came around to score on George Springer's three-run homer in the eighth. On the campaign, Okamoto is slashing .226/.304/.449 with 24 homers and 66 RBI in 427 plate appearances. If Guerrero is to miss time, Okamoto would likely receive more playing time at first base.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Taking seat Tuesday
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Okamoto is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals.
Okamoto started the previous five games but will hit the bench Sunday after going 4-for-21 (.190) with a double, a homer and nine strikeouts during that span. The Japanese third baseman has a .606 OPS through 21 games in July, which has dropped his season-long slash line down to .224/.304/.441 in 425 plate appearances.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Sets rookie record Friday
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Okamoto went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI in Friday's 6-4 loss to the Red Sox.
Down 4-0 in the seventh inning, Okamoto gave the Blue Jays life with a three-run blast off Greg Weissert. It was an encouraging effort for the 30-year-old, who entered the All-Star break on a tear but opened the second half in an 0-for-22 slump entering Friday. On the season, he's slashing .227/.308/.451 with 23 homers -- setting a new MLB record for home runs by a Japanese rookie, surpassing the 22 long balls launched by Shohei Ohtani with the Angels in 2018.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Receiving rare day off
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Okamoto is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays.
Okamoto will head to the bench for the first time since June 30 after going 0-for-18 with a 2:5 BB:K in the Blue Jays' first five games coming out of the All-Star break. Sean Keys will step in at third base for the slumping Okamoto.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Exiting starting lineup
Rotowire
Okamoto is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.
Okamoto will receive a day off on his 30th birthday. The Blue Jays will roll with rookie Sean Keys at third base and in the cleanup spot in Okamoto's stead.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Slugs 17th homer
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Okamoto went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a double and a walk in Monday's 4-2 win over the Astros.
Okamoto accounted for Toronto's first run of the game when he took Hunter Brown deep to lead off the second inning. He later added a double in the seventh inning as part of the rally that put the Jays in the lead for good. The homer was his 17th of the season and his fourth in the last nine games. The slugger has been very productive lately, hitting .297 with an .955 OPS during the month of June. On the season, Okamoto is slashing .234/.316/.460, though his lofty 32.3 percent strikeout rate continues to cap his offensive profile.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Rare feat for 14th homer
Rotowire
Okamoto went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's win over the Yankees.
The third baseman took Ryan Weathers deep in the first inning, ripping a slider down the left-field line into the upper deck at the Rogers Centre. Per TSN.ca, Okamoto is only the 19th player in the history of the stadium and just the 10th Blue Jay to reach the 500 level with a long ball, a feat last accomplished by a Toronto player when Josh Donaldson did it in 2017. Through 10 games to begin June, Okamoto is slashing .316/.341/.500 with two homers, five runs and seven RBI.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Goes deep for 13th time
Rotowire
Okamoto went 2-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run during Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Atlanta.
Okamoto put the Blue Jays on the board in the second inning with a two-run homer off Bryce Elder to tie the game at 2-2. Okamoto has gone deep three times over his last six games and is up to 13 home runs on the season, most on the Blue Jays and 12th in the American League, though he's also struck out 77 times, which is fourth most in the AL. Over his last seven games, Okamoto has gone 6-for-22 (.273) with four extra-base hits and eight RBI.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Goes deep against Baltimore
Rotowire
Okamoto went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during the Blue Jays' 6-5 win over the Orioles on Friday.
The Blue Jays couldn't figure out Trevor Rogers through the first six innings of Friday's game, but Okamoto propelled Toronto's comeback with a two-run homer off the veteran southpaw in the seventh inning. Okamoto has gone deep in two of his last three games and is up to 12 home runs on the season, which leads the Blue Jays and is 13th most in the American League.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Resting Saturday
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Okamoto isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates.
Okamoto will get a chance to regroup Saturday after going 0-for-16 with 10 strikeouts in his last four games. Ernie Clement will slide to third base as a result, opening up second base for Lenyn Sosa.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Getting breather Sunday
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Okamoto is out of Toronto's starting lineup versus the Tigers on Sunday.
It's a rare rest day for Okamoto, who had started 44 of the Blue Jays' 45 games this season coming into Sunday. After beginning May with a 10-game hitting streak that included five homers, he's tailed off a bit of late, going 1-for-14 over his past four contests. Ernie Clement is starting at third base in Okamoto's stead Sunday.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Homers again Tuesday
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Okamoto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Rays.
Okamoto wasted no time getting Toronto on the board, crushing a Drew Rasmussen four-seam fastball in the first inning for a 409-foot solo shot. Opposing pitchers continue to challenge the rookie with heaters, and he continues to make them pay, as he now owns a .654 slugging percentage against fastballs. The homer was his 10th of the season and his fifth in as many games, with the slugger going 8-for-21 with eight RBI during that stretch. Okamoto is now slashing .244/.327/.489 across 147 plate appearances.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Drives in two runs Tuesday
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Okamoto went 1-for-4 with a two-run single during the Blue Jays' 3-0 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday.
Okamoto put the Blue Jays on the board in the third inning, driving home two runs after smacking a single off Payton Tolle. After a slow start to his MLB career, Okamoto has looked more comfortable at the plate over his last 10 outings, going 10-for-34 (.294) with three home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored and a 5:10 BB:K over that span.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Getting comfortable in MLB
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Okamoto went 2-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 8-6 loss to the Guardians.
The third baseman took Gavin Williams deep in the second inning, Okamoto's fourth homer of the season. While the 29-year-old's poor start has been magnified by the exploits of fellow Japanese rookie Munetaka Murakami with the White Sox, Okamoto is beginning to find his footing in North America, recording three multi-hit performances in the last six games while batting .333 (7-for-21) with a double, two homers, five runs and five RBI.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Drives in three in win
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Okamoto went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-4 win over the Diamondbacks.
This was Okamoto's third multi-hit effort in his last six games, though he's also gone hitless six times over his last nine contests. The third baseman started the year with a six-game hitting streak, but that consistency has faded a bit. He's batting .221 with a .658 OPS, three homers, two doubles, eight RBI, seven runs scored and no stolen bases across his first 20 major-league contests. He was brought in as a power bat to fill a starting role at third base, and he's done that decently well so far, though his 8:29 BB:K is a notable concern in regards to plate discipline.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Riding pine Saturday
Rotowire
Okamoto isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Minnesota.
Okamoto will get a chance to regroup Saturday after going 0-for-8 with a strikeout over his last two games. Ernie Clement will slide over to third base as a result, opening up the keystone for Davis Schneider.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Game-winning run in MLB debut
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Okamoto went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored during the Blue Jays' 3-2 win over the Athletics on Friday.
Okamoto took his first major-league base in the fifth inning with a walk before being brought home on a two-run triple by Andres Gimenez. Okamoto's single in the seventh was the first hit of his MLB career, and after getting on base again in the ninth, he crossed home as the game-winning run on a single from Gimenez. It was a promising start for Okamoto, who joined the Blue Jays on a four-year, $60 million contract in the offseason after a successful stint in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Ready for first MLB Opening Day
Rotowire
Okamoto will be the Blue Jays' primary third baseman to begin the season, Gregor Chisholm and Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star report.
After signing a four-year, $60 million contract this offseason to take his talents to North America, Okamoto will have a significant role for Toronto in 2026. The 29-year-old appeared to adjust to his new environment quickly this spring, slashing .316/.435/.632 in 23 Grapefruit League plate appearances.
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Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto: Belts first spring homer
Rotowire
Okamoto went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League game against the Mets on Monday.
The 29-year-old slugger launched a Clay Holmes slow curve to straightaway center field in the second inning for his first long ball of the spring. Okamoto will leave camp soon to join Team Japan for the WBC, but he's making a good first impression this spring for the Jays. He's being counted on to fill a near-everyday role at third base during his first season in MLB.
