Overview
- Major League teams have until early January to reach a deal with Okamoto, with the start of talks aligned to his arrival ahead of the Dec. 7–10 Winter Meetings.
- The signing club must pay Yomiuri a tiered posting fee, and a projected four-year, $64 million contract would carry an additional payment of about $11.5 million.
- Okamoto, 29, posted a .327/.416/.598 line with 15 home runs in 69 games in 2025 after an elbow injury shortened his season.
- Evaluators differ on whether he fits best at third base or first base in MLB, and some scouting notes question how his bat plays against higher-end velocity.
- Industry reporting suggests heightened competition for NPB talent as teams look to keep pace with the Dodgers’ success in Japan, a dynamic that could lift contract outcomes.