Baseball

Toronto Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto Blasts 1st HR of Spring

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto hits a two-run homer in the second inning of a spring training game against the New York Mets on Monday in Dunedin, Fla.

By Yu Hirasawa / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

18:07 JST, February 24, 2026

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Kazuma Okamoto hit his first home run of spring training, and it was the type that the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping to see more of from their newly acquired slugger.

Okamoto blasted a two-run shot 131 meters to dead center field in the Blue Jays’ 4-3 loss to the New York Mets on Monday in Dunedin, Fla.

Batting sixth in the lineup and starting at third base, the home run in the second inning was also Okamoto’s first hit in the major leagues this spring. He also struck out in the fourth inning before coming out of the game.

Okamoto, who hit 30 or more home runs in six consecutive seasons for the Yomiuri Giants, joined Toronto this season on a four-year, $60 million contract.

Meanwhile in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami went 2 for 4 with a double and two strikeouts in a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

In Glendale, Ariz., Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani wrapped up his preseason camp with the National League team on Sunday and was to leave the United States to join up with the Samurai Japan team for the World Baseball Classic.

Ohtani participated in simulated pitching and free batting practice as he prepares for Japan’s defense of the WBC, although he has said he will not be pitching in the tournament.