"Okamoto hit a double in Thursday's game (Feb. 26) against the Miami Marlins and when he reached second base he made a gesture with his hands that looked like he was stirring an invisible bowl. The Blue Jays captioned it themselves as a 'New Kazuma Celebration' and what he was actually mimicking was the grinding of sesame seeds. The process is known as gomasuri, which is a practice in Japanese culture that is seen as a fundamental and mindful part of their cuisine."
"From his introductory press conference, to his initial spring interview, to the first few games, Okamoto continues to build up his own personal fanbase. Along the way he's bringing some Japanese culture and flare to a team that had been looking to add a star from the Pacific rim for years."
"The celebratory moment comes as Okamoto continues to cement himself as someone who will be a key player in Toronto's success in 2026. Through Thursday's games, Okamoto is 3-for-9 at the plate with one massive home run and four RBIs. The home run showcased how much power he has and that his reputation for being a slugger while playing in Nippon Professional Baseball, will indeed carry over to MLB."
Kazuma Okamoto is emerging as a fan favorite for the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training, bringing Japanese culture to the team through his on-field presence and celebrations. During a game against Miami on February 26, Okamoto hit a double and performed a new celebration gesture mimicking gomasuri, the Japanese practice of grinding sesame seeds, which carries cultural significance in Japanese cuisine. This celebration is expected to inspire young players across Toronto and Canada. Through early spring games, Okamoto demonstrated strong performance with three hits in nine at-bats, including a powerful home run and four RBIs, confirming his reputation as a slugger from Nippon Professional Baseball will translate successfully to MLB.
Read at Jays Journal
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]