Pirates Met With Star Japanese Free Agent

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates haven't got their top free agent bat yet this offseason, but have been putting in the work to finally achieve that.

They went after some top free agents in Jorge Polanco and Pete Alonso, while making offers to both Kyle Schwarber and Josh Naylor both of which would've been record signings.

Kazuma Okamoto is one player the Pirates have targeted this offseason, who would bring great experience and a top bat for a team desperate for both. The Pirates now have an idea of the free agent market after a few misses and it appears Okamoto is someone they're honing in on going forward.

Pirates Host Meetings with Okamoto

Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that while both the Pirates and Okamoto haven't made much noise about the other this offseason, the two sides met multiple times in virtual meetings.

The Yomiuri Giants posted Okamoto, which allows MLB teams to sign players from Japan, with some of that money going back to their NPB ballclub.

Okamoto, like all NPB players that get posted, has a 45-day posting period, which started on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. and ends on Jan. 4 at 5 p.m., which gives MLB teams just two more weeks to sign him, or he'll go backto Yoimuri.

Munetaka Murakami, another Japanese player the Pirates were interested in, had his posting period expire on Dec. 22. The Chicago White Sox landed him on a two-year, $34 million contract on Dec. 21, getting him in before the deadline.

Could Pirates Sign Okamoto?

Schwarber and Naylor both re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies and the Seattle Mariners, with Schwarber doing so for five years, $150 million and Naylor coming back on a five-year, $92 million contract.

Polanco also signed with the New York Mets for two years, $40 million and Alonso departed for the Baltimore Orioles for a five-year, $150 million contract.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Okamoto will sign a four-year, $64 million contract, which is about $16 million. This would make Okamoto the second-highest paid player on the Pirates if he signed, behind right-handed starting pitcher Mitch Keller at $16.9 million.

That money is far lower than what the Pirates offered to Schwarber and Naylor, but those players have produced at a high level in the major leagues, which Okamoto obviously hasn't done yet.

A bigger issue with the Pirates is their lack of history signing big time free agents from Japan, as they've never had a big time player from the country come over and produce for the team.

Pittsburgh's most significant international free agent signing from Asia was Jung-Ho Kang on a four-year, $11 million contract on Jan. 16, 2015, who came from South Korea.

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington spoke with Beazley about working in the international market and how they are at somewhat of a disadvantage, especially with Japanese free agents.

“It's no secret, if you're a prominent Japanese free agent, Pittsburgh is not the first city you're thinking about,” Cherington said. “So it's our job to overcome that somehow over time.”

Cherington did note that the Pirates would be able to get through in Japan if they make that signing, just like they did with Kang in Korea.

“I think at some point, inevitably, we'll line up on one where we can overcome that,” Cherington said. “I think once you do, you break through that, I think, in a way that the Pirates have before in Korea and maybe not quite in Japan yet."

What the Pirates Get in Kazuma Okamoto

The Pirates need a slugger and a third baseman, which Okamoto brings to any MLB team that is looking to sign him.

Okamoto has hit at least 30 home runs in a season six times and more than 25 home runs seven times in his career, with more than 80 RBIs in eight seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the professional baseball league in Japan.

He slashed .327/.416/.598 for an OPS of 1.014 in 69 games this past season in Japan, which while not completely comparable to the MLB, is much better than the best Pirates hitter, with right fielder Bryan Reynolds posting a slash line of .245/.318/.402 for an OPS of .720 in 154 games.

Okamoto also plays third base, a position of need for the Pirates, after they moved on from third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, trading him to the Cincinnati Reds on July 30 ahead of the deadline.

Okamoto has excelled with Yomiuri since starting there in 2015 and spending his last 11 seasons in the NPB.

He slashed .277/.361/.521 for an OPS of .882 in 1,074 games, with 1,089 hits, 212 doubles, three triples, 248 home runs, 717 RBIs and 481 walks to 796 strikeouts.

Okamoto is a six-time NPB All-Star, doing so in back-to-back seasons, 2018 and 2019, and then four straight seasons from 2021-24.

He led the Central League in home runs three times, with 31 home runs in 2020, 39 home runs in 2021, and a career-high 41 home runs in 2023. He also led the Central League in RBIs in back-to-back seasons with 97 RBIs in 2020 and a career-high 113 RBIs in 2021.

Okamoto also led Yomuiri to seven playoff berths and three Central League pennants, earning Central League Climax Series honors for his play in 2019.

He has international experience with Team Japan and excelled in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, slashing .333/.556/.722 for an OPS of 1.278, with six hits in 18 at-bats, five runs scored, a double, two home runs and seven RBIs.

Okamoto also hit the go-ahead home run in the 3-2 win for Team Japan over Team USA in the gold medal game.

He'll likely play again with Japan in the 2026 WBC, where he may just face Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes, who will pitch for Team USA.