The Toronto Blue Jays were handed a surprising free agent grade for their signing of Japanese free agent slugger Kazuma Okamoto.
Toronto wasn’t heavily linked to Okamoto, so the signing came as a surprise. But the deal wasn’t too expensive, as the slugger inked a four-year, $60 million deal with the Blue Jays.
ESPN MLB analyst Bradford Doolittle gave the Blue Jays a C+ grade for the signing.
“Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays came to an accord one day before the end of his posting window. Giving Toronto one of the top power threats remaining on the free agent market,” Doolittle wrote. “While the terms of the deal are a bit higher than projected. It’s hard to pin down a precise assessment of the pact without knowing what it means for Toronto’s hopes of bringing franchise stalwart Bo Bichette back into the fold.
“It is a bit of an upset that Okamoto ends up with a longer pact than the two-year, $34 million deal fellow NBP slugger Munetaka Murakami signed with the Chicago White Sox.”
Doolittle believes the Okamoto signing could end the Blue Jays’ hopes of signing Bichette. Which is why the grade is so low. The analyst expects Okamoto to be compared to Bichette, which could have some backlash on him.
“It also means a direct comparison between Bichette and Okamoto from an offensive standpoint is the barometer for whether or not the signing makes Toronto better on the field,” Doolittle added.
Analyst Believes Bichette is More of a ‘Sure Bet’
Part of the reason why the Blue Jays were handed a poor grade is due to the fact that Doolittle believes it could mean the end of Bichette’s tenure in Toronto.
If Okamoto’s signing does mean Bichette won’t return, Doolittle is surprised, as he believes Bichette is more of a sure bet and a safer signing.
“Well, it probably doesn’t, but that’s not to say that Okamoto can’t put up better numbers. It’s just that from a forecasting standpoint. Bichette is more of a sure bet because we’ve already seen it from him at the highest level,” Doolittle wrote. “Both players fit the Blue Jays’ ethos of combining a high contact rate with extra-base power. And a lot of the value in the transition will lie in how well Okamoto’s home run rates hold up in the move up the competitive ladder.”
However, the Blue Jays have plenty of money to spend. So perhaps Toronto can still land one of Kyle Tucker or Bichette.
Blue Jays Interested in More Bats
Although Doolittle thinks Toronto’s signing of Okamoto could end the chances of Bichette returning, another insider disagrees.
MLB.com’s Blue Jays reporter Keegan Matheson said the team is still interested in adding another impact bat after signing Okamoto.
“Tucker is still as clean a fit as ever, though, as an outfielder,” Matheson wrote. “The Blue Jays have long been considered one of the likeliest teams to land Tucker. And for good reason given the obvious fit and their ability to spend. … The Blue Jays should continue to push the pedal down.”
So, it appears Toronto is going all-in after losing in Game 7 of the World Series.
Analyst Critical of Blue Jays Signing of Kazuma Okamoto in Surprising Grade