*PREDICTION*
The 2025 MLB winter meetings are well underway in Orlando, Florida. Executives and agents have begun to mingle, and more rumors, news, and speculations are being dropped every hour.
The international market has established itself as a strong source of reliability as of late, especially with players coming from Japan. The Dodgers have had the biggest success recently when they signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had one of the most impressive World Series performances of all time.
The Dodgers just found their fix for the bullpen by signing former New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz. Diaz has been one of the best closers in baseball and has the tools and potential to be the best. The Dodgers have been in the mix for Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto.
Adding another bat is at the top of the minds of the Dodgers front office, and that is why the Dodgers will sign Kazuma Okamoto.
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Kazuma Okamoto To Sign With Dodgers
Kazuma Okamoto has played 11 seasons in the NPB, the Japanese Professional Baseball League. He made his debut when he was 19 years old, and he has become a dominant power bat with the tools to hit a lot of home runs.
In his 11 seasons, Okamoto has 277 career home runs, and will not turn 30 until right before the 2026 All-Star Classic. Okamoto is in his prime with a ton of experience that can translate into the MLB.
Okamoto has experience at first base, third base, and the outfield, but projects to play at a corner in the MLB. Not known for his defensive acumen, but he is good enough to get the job done.
Nicknamed “The Young General”, Okamoto has been selected twice as an NPB All-Star and led the league in home runs and RBIs in 2020. He is currently a member of the Japanese national baseball team.
Where Okamoto fits into the Dodgers lineup will be interesting to find out, as they still have Max Muncy and Freddie Freeman holding down third and first.
Muncy and Freeman are getting up there in age, and this could be an opportunity to work Okamoto into the fold slowly as the future if one of them decides to move on from the Dodgers.
The Dodgers could use this to build stronger depth in case of injuries.
Kazuma Okamoto’s Market Value
Kazuma Okamoto is not the top target coming out of Japan this year; however, he may turn out to be the better option and have a more successful career.
Transitioning to the MLB is never smooth, but Japanese players have been making it look easier as of late. Okamoto will turn 30 next summer in the thick of his prime, and he should have no problem earning a long-term contract into his late 30s.
Okamoto’s projected contract from mlbtraderumors.com is of a four-year deal worth $64 million, putting him at an annual average salary of $16 million.
The Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees are rumored to be in on Okamoto as well, which could cause a bidding war for his services in 2026 and beyond. A bidding war with the Dodgers is something no franchise wants to put itself in.
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have won back-to-back World Series, but do not expect them to be content with the roster they have. They understand injuries happen, regression can occur, and players age.
They will also look to invest in the now and down the road. Their investments in Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have already paid dividends, and that is why they will sign Kazuma Okamoto as well.