If Alonso Leaves This Winter, Mets Could Fill In Infield With Japanese Star

The New York Mets could end up with a Japanese star in their hands in the coming months, as infielder Kazuma Okamoto of Nippon Professional Baseball is expected to be posted on Wednesday. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer has the Mets as the third most likely landing spot for the Japanese talent.

Previously playing for the Yomiuri Giants of NPB, Okamoto has earned the right to a big contract in the MLB this winter. In 77 games with Yomiuri last season, Okamoto recorded 87 hits on his way to a slash line of .322/.411/.581 with an OPS of .992. Okamoto is viewed as a safer option than Murakami because of his significantly lower strikeout rate and better hitting against fastballs.

With the many talented Japanese stars set to make their move to the MLB, such as slugger Munetaka Murakami, Okamoto may be overlooked by some. While other teams may be favoring the higher-potential Murakami, Okamoto is likely to provide a much higher floor to the team he lands on before the 2026 campaign.

The potential deal to bring Okamoto to Queens is dependent on how first baseman Pete Alonso’s free agency turns out. If Alonso and the Mets agree on a new deal that keeps the Polar Bear in New York, the infield will be much too crowded to bring in somebody like Okamoto. If Alonso does not resign and ends up in another city this winter, however, there are some interesting moves the Mets front office could make to fill in.

Last season, the Mets had a rotation of players at third with Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio. All three played at least 42 games at the hot corner, leading to instability at the position. If Alonso were to depart in free agency, the Mets could justify spending somewhere in the $60 million range for Okamoto because of the instability at third.

Okamoto would slide in as the everyday third, shaking things up for the aforementioned trio of third basemen last season. Vientos could slide over to first and fill in for Alonso’s absence. Baty has shown his ability to play at second base and could slide over in the case of an Okamoto signing. Mauricio could provide a solid backup plan in the infield, as he’s still trying to find his footing in the majors at just 24 years old.

The dominoes have to fall in the right way for Okamoto to land with the Mets, but there is a world in which it makes sense and eases the pain of potentially losing Alonso. With starting pitching the priority of the Mets’ front office this offseason, it’ll be interesting to see how they address needs in the lineup as well, especially if Alonso departs.