Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto off to strong start, could replace Bo Bichette's offense

ESPN believes Okamoto will fit in nicely in the middle of Toronto's lineup

Mar. 30, 2026 at 12:20pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting Kazuma Okamoto's batting stance and swing, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic motion and power of his at-bats.Okamoto's powerful swing and ability to hit to all fields has the Blue Jays optimistic he can fill the offensive void left by Bichette's departure.Oakland Today

Kazuma Okamoto, the Toronto Blue Jays' new infielder from Japan, is off to a strong start with the team, hitting .333 with a home run and two walks in his first three games. ESPN's David Schoenfield believes Okamoto can replace the offensive production of former Blue Jays star Bo Bichette, who left in free agency to join the New York Mets.

Why it matters

Okamoto was signed to essentially replace Bichette, who was a key part of the Blue Jays' lineup. If Okamoto can come close to matching Bichette's offensive production, it will help ease the transition and keep the Blue Jays' lineup potent.

The details

Okamoto, who signed a four-year, $60 million contract with the Blue Jays, has shown the ability to hit to the opposite field and display plus power, as evidenced by his 420-foot, 110 mph home run on Sunday. While his average may be lower than Bichette's .311 mark last season, Okamoto is expected to make up for it with more walks and power.

  • Okamoto hit his first MLB home run on an impressive blast to deep right-center in the Rogers Centre on March 28, 2026.
  • Bichette left the Blue Jays in free agency to join the New York Mets, where he is playing third base despite never playing the position in MLB before.

The players

Kazuma Okamoto

A new infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, signed from Japan to a four-year, $60 million contract to essentially replace former Blue Jays star Bo Bichette.

Bo Bichette

A former star shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, who left the team in free agency to join the New York Mets, where he is playing third base despite never playing the position in MLB before.

David Schoenfield

An ESPN writer who believes Okamoto will fit in nicely in the middle of the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup and can replace Bichette's offensive production.

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What they’re saying

“Okamoto looks as if he's going to fit in nicely in the middle of the Toronto Blue Jays' lineup, going 4-for-12 with a home run and two walks in a three-game sweep of the Athletics. He has shown the ability to shorten his swing with two strikes and hit to the opposite field -- such as his single to right on Friday that started the game-winning rally -- and to exhibit plus power, with his 420-foot, 110 mph home run on Sunday. Bo Bichette hit .311/.357/.483 for Toronto last season, and Okamoto should come close to replacing that offense, maybe with a lower average but more walks and power to make up the difference.”

— David Schoenfield, ESPN Writer

What’s next

The Blue Jays will continue to monitor Okamoto's progress and see if he can maintain his strong start to the season and replace Bichette's offensive production.

The takeaway

Okamoto's early success with the Blue Jays has provided optimism that the team can effectively replace the offensive production of former star Bo Bichette, who left in free agency. If Okamoto can continue to hit for power and get on base at a high clip, it will help ease the transition and keep the Blue Jays' lineup potent.