Kazuma Okamoto hits 10th MLB home run, 12th Japanese player to reach double digits [Video]

Central News Agency (Toronto, May 5, Comprehensive Foreign Report) - Japanese player Kazuma Okamoto of the MLB Toronto Blue Jays hit his 10th home run of the season, also his 10th in his first MLB season, today against the Tampa Bay Rays, becoming the 12th Japanese player to hit 10 or more home runs in MLB. According to NHK, Okamoto has been hot recently, hitting 4 home runs this month, not including this game. The Blue Jays faced the Rays on the road today, and Okamoto contributed 2 hits and 1 RBI, including his 10th career MLB home run. Okamoto started as the third batter and third baseman in this game. In the top of the 1st inning, with two outs, he perfectly timed a 154 km fastball in his first at-bat, hitting a solo home run, pushing his MLB home run total to double digits. Okamoto struck out in his next two at-bats after his first at-bat, but hit his second hit of the game in the top of the 8th inning, successfully getting on base. He went 2-for-4 with 1 RBI in this game, and his batting average rose to .244 after the game. The Blue Jays led 3-2 at the end of the top of the 8th inning, but the relief pitcher in the bottom of the 8th failed to suppress the Rays'' lineup, giving up 2 runs and allowing the opponent to come from behind, ultimately losing 3-4 and suffering their third consecutive defeat. NHK recalled that the first Japanese player to reach double-digit home runs in MLB was Tsuyoshi Shinjo. Shinjo hit 10 home runs in his first MLB season in 2001. He is currently the manager of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in NPB. Subsequently, Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, Tadahito Iguchi, Kenji Johjima, Kosuke Fukudome, and Nori Aoki also entered the ranks of Japanese players with double-digit MLB home runs. Among active players, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers hit 22 home runs in his first MLB year in 2018, becoming the most prolific Japanese player in his debut MLB season. Seiya Suzuki, currently with the Chicago Cubs, has hit double-digit home runs for four consecutive years from his first MLB season in 2022 to last season; Masataka Yoshida of the Boston Red Sox hit 15 home runs in 2023 and 10 home runs in 2024, his first and second MLB seasons, respectively. Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox and Kazuma Okamoto also moved to the MLB this season. Murakami recently hit his 14th MLB home run, tying with New York Yankees'' ''Judge'' Aaron Judge for first place in the National and American Leagues in home runs. (Compiler: Yang Wei-ching) 1150506 Stand with facts, every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom. Download the Central News Agency ''First-hand News'' APP to get the latest news instantly. The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.