The Toronto Blue Jays wound up winning the drawn-out Kazuma Okamoto sweepstakes, coming to terms on a deal with the Japanese infielder on Saturday, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. The deal adds more depth to an infield already full of it for the American League champions, and leaves other teams that were in the mix to sign him scrambling.
The silver lining here is that, despite it already being the new year, there are still plenty of ideal targets for each of the teams that whiffed on Okamoto to pursue, both in free agency and on the trade market.
Why did MLB teams lose our on Kazuma Okamoto?
Okamoto is a talented player, but he has also never played in MLB before. Okamoto is said to be one of the best contact hitters to come out of Japan in quite some time, but until MLB scouts see it in MLB ballparks, you can understand why they might be a little skeptical. Of course, this doesn't include the Blue Jays, who gave Okamoto a four-year contract without batting an eye.
For teams that missed out on Okamoto, there is money to spend. Okamoto would've been a notable upgrade for many of these teams, including the Cubs, Mariners and Pirates. Just because they shied away from one superstar doesn't mean they should do so again this winter.
Chicago Cubs: LHP Framber Valdez
The Chicago Cubs had been connected on numerous occasions to Okamoto and I honestly don't know why. It might be worth moving Matt Shaw to second base and trading Nico Hoerner to sign a marquee free agent like Alex Bregman, but beyond that, their focus should really be on starting pitching.
Okamoto being out of reach only emphasizes that. An innings-eater like Framber Valdez to slot in at the top of the rotation would do wonders for the Cubs, and his ground-ball profile should fit in seamlessly on a team with Hoerner, Shaw and Dansby Swanson in the infield. It's time for Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts to start acting like a big-market team. The Okamoto fit didn't make much sense, but Valdez certainly does.
Seattle Mariners: INF Brendan Donovan
The Seattle Mariners strike out a ton and have two vacancies in their infield, so it isn't hard to see why they were interested in signing Okamoto, a corner infielder who rarely strikes out and would add needed depth to their lineup. It's unlikely that the Mariners will spend big on a free agent above Okamoto's price range, but they can still swing a trade for a difference-maker like Brendan Donovan.
It'd take a lot for the Mariners to pry him away from the St. Louis Cardinals, but Donovan doesn't strike out much, could play either second base or third base for Seattle and is under cheap club control through 2027. The window for the Mariners to win is right now. If they're unwilling to spend big on other free agents after re-signing Josh Naylor, they should make a major splash on the trade market. Donovan would be that, and would be an upgrade over Okamoto.
Boston Red Sox: 3B Alex Bregman
From a Boston Red Sox perspective, Okamoto should've been viewed as more of a Plan B than Plan A. Sure, he would've been an upgrade over Romy Gonzalez in their infield, but signing him would've likely taken the Red Sox out of the running for star free agents like Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette. That would've been unacceptable.
The Red Sox are a good team, but they're still a big bat away from being taken seriously among the American League's elite. I do wonder whether Bregman is that elite bat, but his impact in Boston cannot be overlooked. He was a perfect fit both on and off the field for the Red Sox in 2025, and there's no reason to believe that wouldn't be the case in 2026 and beyond.
San Diego Padres: 1B Nathaniel Lowe
The San Diego Padres might be the biggest losers of the Okamoto sweepstakes. He would've fit in seamlessly as their first baseman, and it's unclear as to where the team will realistically pivot from here with their financial constraints in mind.
Nathaniel Lowe is far from exciting, but he's a solid defender, gets on base a good amount and has hit 16+ home runs in each of the last five seasons. He'd be an upgrade over Gavin Sheets and shouldn't break the bank for a Padres team trying to stay on the fringes of contention.
Los Angeles Angels: 3B Nolan Arenado
The Los Angeles Angels have been looking for a third baseman for a while, and with Anthony Rendon having finally agreed to a contract buyout, Angels fans were hoping that an Okamoto deal was possible. Now that they were outbid for his services, options are few and far between.
Nolan Arenado might not be close to the player he once was, and who knows if he'd even be willing to waive his no-trade clause to come to Anaheim, but he'd provide elite defense and a steady veteran presence that the Angels could use. Who knows, maybe a change of scenery would help his bat, too. It wouldn't take much to get him, and the Cardinals would likely eat a good amount of his salary, allowing the Angels to add elsewhere.
Pittsburgh Pirates: 3B Eugenio Suarez
The Pittsburgh Pirates have done a good job adding to their offense by trading for Brandon Lowe and signing Ryan O'Hearn, but there is still a very clear weakness at third base. Okamoto would've fit in nicely, but I'd argue an option like Eugenio Suarez might be even better.
Sure, his glove isn't as good as Okamoto's, and he'll strike out a lot more, but Suarez has massive power. He hit 49 home runs this past season and has gone deep 30 or more times six times in the last seven full seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign). Suarez can help bring the Pirates closer to the postseason, and given his age and deficiencies, the Pirates shouldn't be priced out.
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