International baseball star Kazuma Okamoto moves from Yomiuri Giants to Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays, the runner-up of the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series, announced the signing of Japanese corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto from the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Okamoto (29) agreed to a four-year contract worth US$60 million.

Born in 1996, Okamoto spent his entire professional career with the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants. He played his first NPB game on August 28, 2015, and competed in 1,377 games since, 662 at third base, 478 at first base and 77 in the outfield. He hit 248 home runs, 212 doubles and batted in 717 runs.

Okamoto helped Japan win the 2023 World Baseball Classic with a key solo home run in the championship game.

Okamoto had his first international experience as a 20-year old, when he represented Carolina in the Puerto Rican Professional League 2016-2017. He started 27 games at third base and five at first base and posted a .357 batting average.