TORONTO (AP) — Infielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced.
Okamoto will get a $5 million signing bonus, a $7 million salary this year and $16 million in each of the following three seasons.
A six-time All-Star, Okamoto has a .277 average with 248 homers and 717 RBIs in 11 Japanese big league seasons, leading the Central League in home runs in 2020, 2021 and 2023. He homered off Colorado’s Kyle Freeland to help Japan beat the U.S. 3-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final.
Under the posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball, a deal must be finalized by 5 p.m. EST Sunday.
Okamoto, a 29-year-old third baseman and first baseman, hit .327 with 15 homers and 49 RBIs in 69 games last year for the Central League’s Yomiuri Giants. He injured his left elbow while trying to catch a throw at first base on May 6 when he collided with the Hanshin Tigers’ Takumu Nakano, an injury that sidelined Okamoto until Aug. 16.
With five-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first, Okamoto presumably would play mostly at third. Addison Barger had 67 starts there last year, Ernie Clement 66, Will Wagner 22, Isiah Kiner-Falefa six and Buddy Kennedy one.
Barger also plays right field, and the addition of Okamoto could mean Andrés Giménez would move from second to shortstop if free agent Bo Bichette doesn't re-sign. Clement and Davis Scheider could share time at second.
Under MLB’s posting agreement with NPB, the Blue Jays will owe the Giants a posting fee of $10,875,000.
After coming within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993, the Blue Jays have made significant additions to the roster. Toronto signed right-hander Dylan Cease to a $210 million, seven-year contract, agreed to a $30 million, three-year contract with right-hander Cody Ponce and reached a $37 million, three-year deal with reliever Tyler Rogers.
Right-hander Shane Bieber also exercised a $16 million player option for 2026 rather than become a free agent.
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - Japan's Kazuma Okamoto hits a home run during fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic championship game against the United States, March 21, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
