Kazuma Okamoto is the next position player from Japan expected to sign with an MLB team and there are some prognosticators who believe he will be a better major league player than Masataka Murakami who recently signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. Okamoto has to sign a deal prior to the Jan. 4 deadline, or he returns to his team in Japan.
It was reported Sunday that three teams are thought to be in the running for the right-handed hitting slugger. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates are listed as the final candidates for Okamoto’s services. He would fill a need for the Padres in that he can play first base or serve as a designated hitter. Okamoto also has experience at third base and could spell Manny Machado when he needs a day off, giving San Diego multiple options in those situations after the team signed Korean infielder Sung-Mun Song earlier this offseason.
It is unknown which way Okamoto is leaning and the majority of reporting about that is speculation. All the Padres, Angels, Pirates or any other MLB team can do is wait for word from Okamoto himself or the team that signs him.