Kazuma

Okamoto

Okamoto started at first base with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. not healthy enough to play. He’s been the most relevant fantasy option in a lineup that has regressed sharply from last year’s World Series run. Okamoto’s 24 homers are double the next-highest total on the team, while his 68 RBI clear Guerrero by 24. A strikeout rate over 30% and a lack of speed are the blemishes that fantasy managers must live with.

Toronto is making more of an effort to manage Okamoto’s workload after he played 93 games before the All-Star break. It’ll be Ernie Clement moving over to the hot corner in his place on Wednesday evening.

Okamoto’s homer off Greg Weissert brought the Jays to within one run in what had been a 4-0 game in the seventh. It was his 23rd of the year, breaking the record for most by a Japanese-born rookie in MLB. Shohei Ohtani held that, hitting 22 in 2018. Okamoto will need to fend off Munetaka Murakami, who has 20, over the rest of the season in order to keep the record.

Okamoto has been one of the few bright spots in a mostly nightmarish campaign for the Blue Jays. It’s his first off day since June 30. It’ll be rookie Sean Keys handling the hot corner in his place.

With his team having totaled two runs the last three days, Jays manager John Schneider will just keep tweaking things until something clicks. Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who have been hitting second and third, respectively, have both been moved up one slot tonight. Kazuma Okamoto is down to sixth after spending most of the last month batting fourth and fifth.

Okamoto came up big for the Blue Jays in the top of the fifth inning, blasting a three-run homer off Padres starter J.P. Sears to put his team up 5-2. It was the 22nd homer of the season for Okamoto, who has now homered in two-straight games and in three of his last four. The rookie slugger also upped his RBI total to 62 on the season, as he continues to string together a solid first half before the All-Star Break.

Okamoto’s 328-foot slam off Logan Webb in the first would have been a double most everywhere else, but it snuck just over the wall at Oracle Park. It was his second homer in three games and 21st overall. He’s now the rookie leader in homers by one over Munetaka Murakami. He’s second among rookies with 59 RBI, two behind Sal Stewart.

Okamoto hit a 412-foot homer off Landen Roupp in the sixth. He’s now tied with Munetaka Murakami for most homers among rookies this year, though he has 31 games on Murakami with his countryman on the shelf due to a hamstring strain. Okamoto entered tonight 3-for-25 with no extra-base hits in his previous seven games.

It’s Okamoto’s birthday, and his present is not having to face Nolan McLean. The newly 30-year-old will get a breather with Sean Keys getting his first start at third since being promoted to the majors.

After falling behind 5-0 by the third inning, the Blue Jays made this a one run game late. Okamoto’s eighth inning blast is what made it so close, but they fell short there. Not meant to come to the big leagues with huge power, his 19 home runs trail only Junior Caminero for most among all third basemen and he’s on pace for over 100 RBI as well.