Top Landing Spots for Japanese Star Kazuma Okamoto

There’s been a lot of excitement during the last few years about players making the transition from NPB to MLB, and this offseason is no different. With most of the headlines focusing on Munetaka Murakami, one slugger has flown under the radar: Kazuma Okamoto.

Okamoto is one of the most feared hitters in NPB, spending his entire 8-year career with the Yomiuri Giants. The move to post Okamoto comes as a surprise, given that the Giants are often reluctant to post their players.

Okamoto, a power-hitting corner-infielder, has posted some very impressive numbers during his career. Six of his eight seasons have been 30-homer campaigns, including a 41-home run season back in 2023. He’s also an incredibly patient hitter, rarely expanding the strike zone.

In fact, Okamoto likely possesses a higher floor than Murakami due to his plate discipline, a quality that’ll significantly help his chances to translate well to MLB. With many teams in the market for a corner infielder this winter, Okamoto is set to become a hot commodity once he’s officially posted.

The 45-day window for teams to negotiate with him will be super competitive. Although this may be a chaotic negotiating period, whichever team lands Okamoto will likely walk away incredibly happy they landed him.

Player Profile: Kazuma Okamoto

• Age in 2026: 30
• 2025 Stats in NPB: 69 G, .327/.416/.598, 15 HR, 49 RBI, 210 wRC+
• Projected Contract Length: 3-5 years
• Projected AAV: $12-$17 million

Okamoto is making the transition to MLB a little older than we’ve seen recently.

With stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, and Seiya Suzuki all being a little bit younger when they made the transition, this will be something to keep in mind. No matter his age, he’s still a lethal bat capable of doing plenty of damage.

An elbow injury limited Okamoto to just 69 games during the 2025 season, but he still put up quite an impressive offensive showing while on the field. He slugged 15 homers, posted a wRC+ of 210, and walked just as much as he struck out.

Okamoto has usually been quite a workhorse, playing over 140 games in all but two of his eight years in NPB. Had Okamoto reached this mark again in 2025, he would’ve been on pace to slug over 30 homers for the seventh time in his career.

There is some mixed feedback on how Okamoto has handled high velocity in NPB, leading to some potential concern regarding his ceiling in a harder-throwing league. I don’t see this being too much of an issue for him, though, as he’s posted a contact rate of 80% against fastballs 93 MPH or harder in NPB.

This even included a grand slam against one of Roki Sasaki’s 99 MPH heaters during a game in 2022.

Okamoto has also played very good defense at first base, potentially giving him Gold Glove upside. He’s also played third base and taken reps in left field, allowing teams to be creative with how they use him.

Seiya Suzuki signed a five-year, $85 million deal, giving him an AAV of $17 million per season. Suzuki was 27 years old at the time.

There’s not quite as much hype for Okamato as their was for Suzuki, which could be tied to their difference in age. There is every chance however that if Okamato settles on a shorter-term deal, he could land an AAV around $17 million.

If years are what Okamato is after, he will have to settle for a lower AAV, which could make him a steal for the team that is willing to commit long-term if he can translate over well.

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox enter this offseason with a lot of questions to answer offensively. With Alex Bregman opting out of his contract and the uncertainty that comes with Triston Casas’ return to the lineup next season, Kazuma Okamoto might be a player they should consider adding to the roster.

Over the last two seasons, Casas has played only 92 of the Red Sox’s 324 games. Before his injury this season, he put up concerning numbers at the plate, with his 56 wRC+ being one of the worst marks in the league at the time.

Adding Okamoto to the fold gives the Red Sox a reliable option at first base, something they haven’t been able to confidently say in nearly two full seasons. He’d also bring tremendous power to Fenway Park, a notoriously hitter-friendly environment.

Assuming Bregman leaves, the Red Sox are currently slotted to have Marcelo Mayer take over the full-time duties at third base. Although this could work out, the combination of Mayer’s youth and his season-ending wrist injury raises a ton of questions surrounding this move.

The team’s DH is also set to be Masataka Yoshida, who struggled in his return to the field following an injury that sidelined him for nearly 110 games this year. Having Okamoto on the team could allow them to maximize their offensive upside and get the most out of their lineup without breaking the bank.

A lot of questions surround this team, but there’s no doubt that the addition of Okamoto could seriously upgrade this team offensively.

San Diego Padres

Unfortunately, despite going all in at this year’s trade deadline, it was another disappointing finish for the San Diego Padres. Heading home without making it past the Wild Card, the Padres clearly need to make a lot of moves this offseason. It doesn’t help that the team also has eight upcoming free agents, including three of their first base options.

Gavin Sheets is currently listed as the Padres’ top option at first base. Sheets was a wonderful addition to this lineup during the 2025 season, slugging 19 homers alongside a 111 wRC+ in 145 games.

this is the perfect opportunity to add Okamoto into the mix, as the Padres could once again rotate between three hitters at first base.

As it stands right now, the Padres also find themselves without a designated hitter for the 2026 season. Okamoto could be the perfect solution to this problem as well, as he’d bring 30-homer potential to their DH spot.

Okamoto is also a more cost-efficient solution than the other impactful bats on the market, including bringing back someone like Ryan O’Hearn to fill either of these roles. With the Padres’ financial struggles in the last few seasons, this is a key reason for this fit.

Yu Darvish may also make the recruitment process a little easier. He was notably involved in their pursuit of Roki Sasaki, and with Okamoto and Darvish being teammates in the most recent World Baseball Classic, we could see Darvish play a role in this process once again.

New York Mets

The New York Mets enter this offseason in a tricky position. Their All-Star first baseman, Pete Alonso, is set to opt out of his contract, and third baseman Mark Vientos took a drastic step backward offensively this season.

Given this, Okamoto could be the perfect solution for the Mets to fill either of these roles. Okamoto would be the perfect fallback option for the Mets if Alonso leaves in free agency, saving them a serious chunk of money in the process.

Our Ryan Finkelstein has Alonso earning somewhere in the $25-$35 million range in terms of AAV, a number well above the $12-$15 million range we could see Okamoto earn.

Although it appears that Brett Baty has finally turned into a very capable major league hitter, there’s still some risk involved in him, too.

The Mets are also without a solidified designated hitter, as Mark Vientos is currently slated for this role coming off a down season after his breakout 2024 campaign.

The Mets were one of the best power-hitting teams in baseball last year, with their 224 home runs as a team finishing fifth in the league.

If they’re able to retain Alonso and add Okamoto, it’s not unreasonable to assume the Mets finish in the top five next season. This power surge would take a ton of pressure off their young pitching staff, adding to the value Okamoto brings.

Looking at their current depth chart, there are a lot of routes the Mets could take with their corner-infield dilemma. The bottom line is that Kazuma Okamoto provides the Mets with a lot more options, regardless of where he slots in defensively.

Seattle Mariners

Although this season ended in a heartbreaker for the Seattle Mariners, this season was a good sign of the success to come. It’s important to note that two of the brightest pieces of this lineup are impending free agents, with Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez set to test the market this winter.

This definitely complicates things for them moving forward, as they could be left without a true answer at either corner infield position. It’ll also be expensive to retain both Naylor and Suarez, as both could conceivably ask for contracts worth $20+ million per season.

Together, this creates the perfect scenario for Kazuma Okamoto to arrive in Seattle. With Okamoto potentially costing less than Naylor or Suarez, the Mariners could pivot to him as a legitimate option to fill the vacancy at either position without sacrificing much production.

It’s important to note that the offensive environment in Seattle does have the chance to complicate things for Okamoto. Seattle is known to be a pitcher-friendly ballpark, and for a power hitter, this could be a bit of a concern.

Unlike most power hitters, though, Okamoto has a pretty well-rounded offensive profile, so if his power takes a step back, it likely won’t affect his offensive output too much.

If the Seattle Mariners don’t manage to land Suarez and Naylor in free agency, look for Okamoto to be their next option to fill either of their corner infield vacancies.

Detroit Tigers

Immediately after their unfortunate finish to the 2025 season, Tigers general manager Scott Harris mentioned that they’ll be focused on improving the offense this offseason.

One area they’re hoping to upgrade is third base, and if they do, the best-case scenario is that they target Kazuma Okamoto.

As it stands right now, Colt Keith is the team’s third baseman heading into 2026. While Keith’s 109 wRC+ was serviceable last season, it might make sense for him to slide over to second base with the potential loss of Gleyber Torres in free agency.

The Tigers’ other potential option at third base, Zach McKinstry, is also extremely flexible defensively. This means they can keep his 114 wRC+ in the lineup while still upgrading at third base.

This leaves a vacancy at third base that could easily be filled with Okamoto. If he signs with the Tigers, he’ll bring the influx of power and overall offensive production they’ve been searching for, without seeing a huge uptick in strikeouts.

Harris has expressed the need to cut back on strikeouts, and with Okamoto posting a strikeout rate above 20% just one time in his eight seasons, he’ll be the perfect fit for this mold.

When looking at the free agent pool this offseason, Okamoto is truly the player who fits what they’re looking for the closest. With the Tigers in a good position to contend while their young core still develops, adding Okamoto could be the perfect offensive move to truly push them over the edge.