Toronto Blue Jays' Newest Star Is Hiding in Plain Sight
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Things haven't gone exactly according to plan for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026. Coming off their first trip to the World Series since 1993, the Blue Jays have seemed to fight on all cylinders to keep themselves afloat in the AL East, let alone a .500 record.
One of the biggest shocks for Toronto in 2026 has been the lack of power production from All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. His step back has impacted the success of the offense tenfold, as he enters the end of June with just four long balls to his name.
As any strong, deep team would do in moments like these, another player has stepped up for the lack of production from Guerrero, and he's starting to make a real name for himself in Major League Baseball.
Kazuma Okamoto Is on Fire
In his rookie season in the MLB, third baseman Kazuma Okamoto has made an impact on the fans in Toronto. Not only has he been named a finalist to be the starting third baseman in the 2026 All-Star Game, but he's been tearing the cover off the baseball all month long.
Following game one of a three-game series against the Texas Rangers, Okamoto now holds a .241 batting average with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs, along with a .793 OPS.
Okamoto sent his 18th home run of the 2026 campaign out of the ballpark in the ninth inning, bringing the score to 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out. Toronto would end up losing, despite Okamoto's attempt at momentum-building heroics.
OKAMOTO-SAN!
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 26, 2026
Number 18! pic.twitter.com/ryMB0VBICG
In June alone, Okamoto has played his best baseball since arriving in the MLB, hitting .316 at the plate with six home runs and 18 RBIs. For a player who started off slow in 2026, Okamoto has turned into one of, if not the top, power hitters in the Blue Jays' lineup.
If it weren't for Guerrero's lack of power at the plate, he and Okamoto could be MLB's best three-four hitters in the game. With still plenty of games left to play, perhaps Guerrero will pick things up in the second half of the season, and if he does, things could get very interesting for the Blue Jays.
Currently in third place in the AL East, the best chance at the moment for Toronto to make the playoffs will be as a Wild Card team. In a weak American League, the Blue Jays' 39-42 record has them right in the thick of the competition for the final AL Wild Card slot.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.