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Blue Jays Slugger Ties Ohtani Rookie Home Run Record
Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Kazuma Okamoto hit his 22nd home run of the season on July 10, matching a mark set by Shohei Ohtani in 2018. Okamoto signed a four-year, $60 million contract before the season and has become the team's leading power hitter.
Jul 12, 7:00 PM·1m read1 source
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Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Kazuma Okamoto hit his 22nd home run of the season on July 10, tying the record for most home runs by a Japanese-born player in a rookie season. The three-run homer came in the fifth inning against San Diego Padres reliever Jhony Brito and gave the Blue Jays a three-run lead.
The Blue Jays signed Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract before the 2026 season. He has emerged as the team's most productive hitter and has helped offset production lost by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Okamoto matched the record previously set by Shohei Ohtani, who hit 22 home runs for the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.
Okamoto dismissed direct comparisons to Ohtani. "He's the unicorn," he said, according to The Athletic. "Shohei is an awesome player," Okamoto added. "Being able to match that record, it's awesome. But I just want to do my best so I can get closer to his level." Ohtani hit his 300th career home run earlier in the week while playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
