OKAMOTO BREAKS OHTANI'S JAPANESE ROOKIE HOME RUN RECORD

Kazuma Okamoto hit his 23rd home run of the season on Friday for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Boston Red Sox, surpassing Shohei Ohtani's record for home runs by a Japanese rookie in Major League Baseball. Okamoto connected on a first-pitch sinker from Red Sox reliever Greg Weissert, sending the ball into the centre field stands. The home run was projected to travel 408 feet. Ohtani hit 22 home runs as a rookie in 1,977 plate appearances at 23 years old, whilst Okamoto has achieved 23 in 411 plate appearances at 30 years old.

The Blue Jays signed Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract last offseason after ten seasons with the Yomiuri Giants. Through 101 games this season, Okamoto holds a batting average of .227 with a .452 slugging percentage and a .759 on-base-plus-slugging average. Another Japanese player, Munetaka Murakami, currently sits at 20 home runs after returning from a hamstring strain sustained in May. Murakami was on pace to break Ohtani's record before his injury.

The 2026 season remains unfinished, with approximately two months remaining. Based on their respective statistics, Murakami could potentially accumulate more home runs than Okamoto by season's end and claim the record. Okamoto's achievement arrives in a disappointing season for the Blue Jays, the defending American League champions.