The Toronto Blue Jays knew they were making a significant investment when they signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract before the 2026 season.
While the club expected the decorated Japanese slugger to strengthen the middle of its lineup, his emergence as the team’s most productive slugger so far this season and an all-time international rookie has been a pleasant surprise for fans.
As Okamoto helps offset some of the production lost by Vladimir Guerrero Jr this year, his recent moonshot placed him alongside a fellow Japanese superstar whose accomplishments continue to redefine expectations.
Toronto Blue Jays Slugger Kazuma Okamoto Sends 3-Word Shohei Ohtani Message
On Friday, during the team’s ongoing West Coast road trip, Okamoto matched Shohei Ohtani’s long-standing rookie mark, set years ago with the Los Angeles Angeles.
“Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto hit his 22nd home run Friday night to tie Shohei Ohtani for the most by a Japanese-born rookie in a season in the majors,” ESPN reported. “Okamoto homered into the seats in left on a 95 mph sinker from San Diego Padres reliever Jhony Brito with one out in the fifth, a three-run shot that gave the Blue Jays a three-run lead.”
But even after Okamoto removed Ohtani from the top spot in one of his first MLB records, the Blue Jays new star was quick to dismiss any comparison to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar with a three-word response.
“He’s the unicorn,” Okamoto said, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon.
Following Friday night’s performance, Okamoto made it clear that matching Ohtani’s accomplishment was meaningful but he acknowledged that he is far from his compatriot’s level.
“Shohei is an awesome player,” Okamoto added. “Being able to match that record, it’s awesome. But I just want to do my best so I can get closer to his level.”
Toronto Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto Matches Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani In Record Books
The blast not only strengthened Toronto’s position in the game but also tied one of the most recognizable records held by a Japanese-born player in Major League Baseball.
And while Ohtani sits alone on the top of plenty of other all-time MLB lists, his slugging mark from eight years ago was a welcomed reminder of his first-year dominance.
“Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels when he hit 22 homers in 2018,” ESPN added.
“Ohtani, in his third season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hit his 300th career homer Tuesday night against Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen that made him the first Japanese-born player in the majors to reach the milestone.”
While Ohtani has since become one of baseball’s defining stars, Okamoto is carving out an impressive debut campaign of his own. Matching the rookie home run record is a reminder of why Toronto committed $75 million to bring him from Japan, and with plenty of games remaining, he’ll soon have an opportunity to stand alone atop that list.