Kazuma Okamoto Likely to Sign on Saturday, Padres the Front-Runners?
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto is "likely" to agree to a deal on Saturday, and that the San Diego Padres "could be the frontrunner." Okamoto's posting window closes on Sunday, so he is facing a deadline to choose an MLB destination. Across 293 plate appearances in the NPB in 2025, Okamoto slashed .327/.416/.598 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI, and 38 runs scored. He's also posted double-digit walk rates in each of the last three seasons and slashed his strikeout rate to a career-best 11.3% in 2025. If he does sign with San Diego, Okamoto would likely move to first base or designated hitter due to the presence of star Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Okamoto has also been linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox, among others. However, Feinsand reports that "it's unlikely that he will wind up in Pittsburgh."
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Source: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
Read More News
RADIO



