The Jays signed Kazuma Okamoto last season, could they double down on a Japanese star this offseason?
The Toronto Blue Jays offseason is just a few days old, but so far, the Jays have already been linked to soon-to-be free agent slugger Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs.
As we've covered, the idea of signing Suzuki makes sense. He provides power (26 homers) for a team that finished last in baseball in homers this season. He is a right-handed hitter, which this team desperately needs in the outfield to break up the group of Brett Bateman, Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes.
Of course, signing him is not without questions. He's 32 and will turn 33 next year. He's also not seen as a great defender. He would be a good signing, but he would be an imperfect signing.
But this much is also undeniable: Signing him would represent a global win for the organization.
Explaining further
As the only team in Canada, the Blue Jays already have a major national foothold. That's obvious. However, they are also gaining prominence internationally as well, and that can only be a good thing.
When the Blue Jays played in the World Series in 2025, they were given international exposure. Playing against the Los Angeles Dodgers gave them great exposure in Japan as well, one of baseball's best international markets. Taking the Dodgers to Game 7 gave them even more exposure and brand awareness.
The Jays were able to tap into that further last offseason when they signed Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto out of the NPB. Okamoto rewarded the Jays with his performance, hitting more than 30 homers and knocking in nearly 100 runs.
Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) heads out from the dugout before the game against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. Matt Marton-Imagn ImagesIf the Blue Jays are able to sign another Japanese star? They will do a handful of things.
1) Get a better offense, which is desperately needed.
2) Create more Japanese fans and further their position as a contender in the Pacific. At the worst, the Blue Jays create more fans, sell more merchandise and create more revenue. At best, the Jays create more fans and more awareness that eventually leads to more Japanese players coming to play for the franchise. If Okamoto and Suzuki are both here, the word could spread to current Japanese players about the pluses of Toronto as well.
The Blue Jays won't unseat the Dodgers as Japan's team overnight, but if they have Okamoto and Suzuki, that will go a long way in putting a dent in their market dominance.
Both Suzuki and Okamoto were stars of Japan's World Baseball Classic team in 2026. Okamoto won the title with Japan when the event was held in 2023.
