VIDEO SHOWS: FILE STILL PHOTOS OF JAPANESE BASEBALL PLAYER KAZUMA OKAMOTO SHOWS: TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE – MARCH 16, 2025) (IMAGN IMAGES – Must Courtesy 'Imagn Images') (MUTE) 1. STILL PHOTO OF YOMIURI GIANTS FIRST BASEMAN KAZUMA OKAMOTO HITTING AN RBI DOUBLE DURING THE FIFTH INNING OF MLB SPRING TRAINING GAME AGAINST CHICAGO CUBS AT TOKYO DOME MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FILE – MARCH 21, 2023) (IMAGN IMAGES – Must Courtesy 'Imagn Images') (MUTE) 2. STILL PHOTO OF JAPAN'S 1ST BASEMAN KAZUMA OKAMOTO (25) CELEBRATING WITH TEAMMATES AFTER HITTING A HOME RUN IN 2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC FINAL AGAINST THE USA TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE – MARCH 16, 2023) (ACTION IMAGES VIA REUTERS – Access all) (MUTE) 3. STILL PHOTO OF JAPAN'S KAZUMA OKAMOTO HITTING A DOUBLE DURING 2023 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC QUARTER-FINAL GAME AGAINST ITALY 4. STILL PHOTO OF OKAMOTO RUNNING BASES JUST AFTER HIS HIT 5. STILL PHOTO OF OKAMOTO CELEBRATING AT 2ND BASE AFTER HIT 6. STILL PHOTO OF OKAMOTO CELEBRATING WITH TEAMMATE SHOHEI OHTANI AFTER SCORING RUN STORY: The Toronto Blue Jays reached an agreement with Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto, multiple outlets reported Saturday (January 3). The deal is for $60 million over four years, includes a $5 million signing bonus and has no opt-outs, according to the reports. The 45-day negotiating window for the 29-year-old infielder was set to expire on Sunday. If unsigned, he would return to the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. Okamoto, who plays third base and first base, is a six-time All-Star in Japan with 248 home runs in 1,074 career games. The 248 homers were the most by any player in NPB since 2015. The right-handed hitter posted six consecutive 30-homer campaigns from 2018-23 and hit .327 with a career-best 1.014 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, 15 home runs and 49 RBIs across 69 games last season. He was also part of Japan's World Baseball Classic championship team in 2023 and hit a home run in the final against the United States. (Production: David Grip)
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