On Jan. 4, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that they signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract, per ESPN. The agreement comes with a $5 million signing bonus, a $7 million salary for this season, and $16 million annually for the next three years.
Despite adding a veteran bat and dipping into the Japanese market, former general manager and MLB insider Jim Bowden is questioning the decision. Bowden believes the money spent on Okamoto could’ve been better spent on Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, or both players.
“I like the player,” Bowden said on the Jan. 5 edition of “Foul Territory.” “I don’t like the fit for Toronto; I don’t like that they signed him. I don’t like that they invested $70 million in him; I would rather see the $70 million go toward Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette, or both, for that matter.
“Now, I like the player a lot. Why? I think he can hit, and I think he’s got more power than people think. So, I really like the bat, and I think the bat fits in their blueprint—the exact blueprint that got them to the World Series. This guy can hit with power, and he puts the ball in play. He’ll draw a walk.
“I really like the player. He can’t play third base. He’s a below-average defender at third. One of the things I loved about this Toronto Blue Jay team last year is that it was the best defensive team in the American League. I love the fact that they could hit for average, they could hit for power, and they played plus-plus defense all over the field.”
Blue Jays Will Have Defensive Concerns in 2026
Heading into 2025, Okamoto had recorded at least 27 home runs each year since 2018. Last season, though, he managed just 15, sidelined for about half the year after an elbow injury from a collision at first base.
Nonetheless, despite his potential offensive production for the Blue Jays, Bowden went into detail about his concerns over Okamoto’s defense, as it might not be enough of an offset.
“I think [defense] was their calling card last year, and I loved it,” Bowden added. “Now you have a below-average defender at third base. I don’t like that at all. His best position is first base. I think he’s a plus defender at first, but [Vladimir Guerrero Jr.] owns first base.
“He lives there, and he’s only going to get to play first if Guerrero wants a day off or if he gets injured, which hopefully won’t happen. You can’t DH him because that’s George Springer has that spot, and Anthony Santander is waiting for that spot, and you really can’t put him in the corner outfield.
“What are you going to do? Put him in right with Santander and left? That doesn’t work for me defensively. So I just don’t like the fit. I was fine with [Addison] Barger and [Ernie] Clement at third base, bring back Bichette, sign Tucker. I just like that pathway better.”
Kazuma Okamoto Is a Cheaper Alternative for Toronto
Meanwhile, with the Blue Jays adding another veteran bat, Jeff Joyce spoke on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and shared his thoughts on the big move from Toronto, believing it is a more economical investment if the front office doesn’t want to overspend on Kyle Tucker.
“They’ve got the big bat in Toronto in Vladdy,” Joyce said on Jan. 3. “They didn’t need to go out and spend 400 million or 300 million on Tucker or some of these other guys. I will be curious to see what the contract is. But yeah, I think adding another solid veteran bat into the mix there.
“Obviously, Vladdy is going to play mostly at first, so you’d assume he’d be over a third, but you can move [Addison] Barger around a little bit. The outfield might be a little crowded out there, but that was what the Blue Jays had last year—a strong lineup top to bottom. You feel like you’re adding another pretty solid bat into the middle of that.”
Blue Jays Get Brutal Message Over Kazuma Okamoto Signing