The Toronto Blue Jays‘ 2025 season ended in heartbreaking fashion, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series. Since that final loss of the year, Toronto has been busy making additions to chase another American League pennant. While the Blue Jays lost star infielder Bo Bichette and pitchers like Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer, they made some key additions as well.
Toronto signed starting right-hander Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal.
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Okamoto was one of the top international free agents this offseason, coming from the Yomiuri Giants in Japan, where he has spent the past decade.
Japan infielder Kazuma Okamoto (25) bats against the USA in the 2023 WBC.© Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
(© Rhona Wise-Imagn Images)
In his career in NPB, Japan’s top professional baseball league, Okamoto has played 1,074 games, batting .277 with an .882 OPS, totaling 248 home runs and 717 RBIs. Last season, he made just 69 appearances due to a left elbow injury. In those games, he hit an incredible .327 with an OPS of 1.014, 15 long balls and 49 RBIs.
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On Monday, before Okamoto plays for Toronto for the first time, the Blue Jays shared on social media that their newest third baseman will represent Samurai Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“🇯🇵Defending the WBC Crown👑 Kazuma Okamoto has been selected for WBC Samurai Japan. Congratulations!” the caption read.
The 29-year-old also played for Japan in the 2023 WBC, where he burst onto the international scene, posting a .333 batting average, a 1.278 OPS, two homers and seven runs driven in. One of these home runs came against Team USA in the WBC final, which Japan took home the title with a 3-2 victory.
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Okamoto and Japan will open their 2026 WBC campaign against Chinese Taipei on March 6 at the Tokyo Dome.
Related: MLB Shares Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Honor Ahead of 8th Blue Jays Season
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.