Kazuma Okamoto didn’t just hit his first home run as a Blue Jay.
Feb 21, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto (7) at bat during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
He hit one that almost never happens.
When the 29-year-old third baseman launched a 431-foot blast to straightaway center off Mets right-hander Clay Holmes, the sound alone turned heads in Dunedin. But the deeper dive into the data reveals something even more impressive.
This wasn’t a mistake pitch.
Holmes’ sweeper crossed the plate just 1.9 feet off the ground and 0.6 feet from the center — low and away to a right-handed hitter. In other words, exactly where a pitcher wants it. It’s the type of location designed to produce weak contact or a swing-and-miss.
Instead, Okamoto demolished it.
According to Baseball Savant data shared after the game, Holmes surrendered just one home run on that pitch type all of last season. Even more striking: in the entire Statcast era, only five right-handed hitters have homered off a right-handed pitcher on a pitch thrown in that exact zone and profile.
The list is not casual company.
Javier Báez. Yoenis Céspedes. Brent Rooker. Ronald Acuña Jr. Adam Duvall.
That’s a collection of hitters known for elite bat speed and raw power. For Okamoto to join that group in his first spring as a Blue Jay says something about the force he generates — especially on a pitch designed to neutralize him.
And it quiets any lingering doubts about how his power will translate to MLB pitching.
Okamoto arrived in Toronto with a résumé that already demanded attention. Over 11 seasons with the Yomiuri Giants, he hit 248 home runs with a .277/.361/.521 slash line and an .882 OPS. He cleared the 30-homer mark six times and established himself as one of Japan’s premier sluggers.
Still, translating Pacific League success to the majors is never automatic.
That’s why this swing mattered.
It wasn’t a hanging breaking ball. It wasn’t wind-aided. It was a well-executed pitch from a quality arm — and Okamoto beat it anyway, driving it 431 feet with authority.
Defensively, he’s already shown steady hands at third base, easing early concerns about his glove. Offensively, the power display suggests Toronto may have added more than just lineup depth.
They may have added legitimate thump.
Spring training numbers don’t count. But quality of contact does. And this particular swing — low-and-away sweeper, elite velocity, center-field carry — is the kind that plays in any park.
If this was a preview, the Blue Jays may have found a new middle-of-the-order force.
And judging by the company he just joined, Okamoto’s power is anything but ordinary.
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