Why Kazuma Okamoto could be a perfect fit with the Mets

The New York Mets could make a run at the Japanese star to fill a couple pressing needs.

Mar 21, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan first baseman Kazuma Okamoto (25) bats against the USA in the sixth inning at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

After conflicting reports, it became official on Wednesday that the Yomiuri Giants of the Japan Central League will be posting 29-year-old slugger Kazuma Okamoto to be available for MLB teams this offseason.

Okamoto, who plays primarily first and third base, is coming off of a strong season where he slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 homers despite playing just 69 games due to an elbow injury he sustained during a collision at first base. The right-handed slugger has a .882 OPS with 248 home runs in 1,074 Central League games since his rookie season in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2018, and is a six-time All-Star.

Okamoto has undeniable power, launching over 30 home runs in each of his first four professional seasons. He has claimed three Central League home run titles, including a career-best 41 homers in 2023. But digging deeper into his stats, Okamoto's most impressive and potentially translatable trait is his tremendous discipline.

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In 2025, he had the same number of walks as he did strikeouts (33) for an elite 11.8% K-rate. When looking at his numbers against velocity last year, Okamoto's .440 batting average and 8.8% strikeout rate against 93 mph and higher is a great sign given the struggles some players have when coming over to MLB. By comparison at the same metric, Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who will also look to make the transition next year, had a massive K-rate of 41.7% when facing 93-plus.

29 y/o Kazuma Okamoto’s NPB stats: 248 HR, 212 2B, .882 OPS, 17.7 K% over 11 seasons. pic.twitter.com/4BxGIuTbWN

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) October 22, 2025

On top of his prowess at the plate, Okamoto is a plus defender at both first and third, earning three Mitsui Gold Glove awards, one at first in 2024 and two at third in 2021 and 2022. He has split time between the two positions throughout his career while also seeing some time in the outfield. It's likely that Okamoto's MLB position will largely be decided by the most pressing need of the team that picks him up.

Why the New York Mets should target Kazuma Okamoto

Mar 15, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan; Yomiuri Giants first baseman Kazuma Okamoto (25) fields a ground ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Tokyo Dome. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Murakami, 25, garnered attention earlier in the year when the New York Mets' president of baseball operations David Stearns took a trip to Japan to scout the star infielder. Murakami is also expected to be posted by his club and will draw significant interest from many big market MLB clubs, including the Mets.

But with the news coming out that Okamoto will also be available, it could make more sense for Stearns to redirect his efforts toward the other Japanese superstar.

One obvious factor here is the future of Pete Alonso. If the Mets opt to sign Alonso to the long-term deal he is seeking, it is unlikely that they would dish out another large contract for a right-handed power-hitting corner infielder that will be 30 next June. However, if New York does let their longtime first baseman walk, Okamoto could slide in as a perfect replacement at the position, providing a potential 30-plus home run output with stronger defense.

Read More: This playoff hero could be Mets’ Pete Alonso replacement

On the other side of the infield, Okamoto faces a less clear-cut situation. The Mets are far from set at third base and will almost certainly be in the market for free agent Alex Bregman. But Bregman who, like Alonso, is seeking a long-term deal, appears likely to re-sign with Boston. This leaves the Mets with their current rotating cast of young third basemen headlined by Brett Baty and Mark Vientos and also featuring Ronny Mauricio.

All three of these players have shown promise, with Baty proving to be the best defender but an inconsistent bat, and Vientos struggling defensively and suffering a clear regression from his 27-homer season in 2024. Mauricio has seen the least amount of playing time, but could prove to be a strong trade chip if the Mets look to add pitching this offseason.

Read More: New York Mets standout called 'logical option' to replace Pete Alonso

That is to say third base is effectively still a question mark for a club that has seen prospects make great development, but should have no problem spending on a more established talent if the opportunity arises. Stearns, who emphatically stated "run prevention" as the top priority in reworking the roster, could turn to Okamoto to sure up the hot corner while providing elite offensive firepower.

"I think we're going to have to be open-minded on our position player grouping so that we can improve our run prevention."

David Stearns talks about how the Mets can improve their run prevention this offseason: pic.twitter.com/nb8TJftZqu

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 29, 2025

Singing a player from NPB is far from a sure thing and comes with a hefty posting fee that is paid to the Japanese club every season of the contract (20% of the first $25MM spent, 17.5% of the next $25MM, and 15% of any spending over $50MM). But for a team like the Mets, the money should not be an issue if the fit is correct.

Okamoto and Murakami won't be posted until at least late-November, but the buildup will certainly be something to monitor for many major league clubs. For the Mets, several other dominos may fall before negotiations can begin which could impact their interest in the sluggers drastically one way or the other.