The New York Mets may lose Pete Alonso this offseason.
The fan favorite first baseman is a free agent, and it’s not a given he returns to Queens.
If Alonso leaves, the Mets could use a splashy signing to replace his power and earn some goodwill back with the fanbase.
A player most Mets fans have never heard of could end up being the guy who delivers that.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand lists Kazuma Okamoto, a Japanese infielder, as a possible signing for the Mets this winter. He also marked down the Cubs and Yankees as the other two teams that would fit with Okamoto.
“A decorated slugger in Japan, Okamoto will be posted by the Yomiuri Giants this winter, making him available to big league clubs,” Feinsand writes. “Okamoto, who became a full-time player with the Giants in 2018, is a six-time NPB All-Star who has won three home run titles, though there will be questions about his ability to hit higher-velocity pitchers in the Majors. The 29-year-old has 248 career home runs in 1,074 games with Yomiuri, including six consecutive 30-homer campaigns between 2018-23. Okamoto has played more third base than first in Japan, though it’s unclear how Major League teams will view him at the hot corner.”
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Given that the National League has the DH now, in addition to Okamoto’s ability to play both corner infield spots, there shouldn’t be a problem finding space for him in the Mets’ lineup, even if Alonso returns.
The Mets need to continue building. They missed the playoffs after a shocking downturn in September, and it’s up to their front office to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
Okamoto would come with a bit of risk, given it’s never perfectly clear how a player will translate from NPB to MLB. But it’s probably worth the chance for the Mets.
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