"It's been known for nearly a month now that NPB infielder Kazuma Okamoto is set to be posted by the Yomiuri Giants this winter, but a report from Nikkan Sports ( Japanese language link) this morning provided a bit more specificity regarding Okamoto's timeline. He'll be officially posted tomorrow, on November 19th, and that will kick off a 45-day window for teams to negotiate with Okamoto, who is represented by Scott Boras of the Boras Corporation."
"That's the same posting date as right-hander Tatsuya Imai, a fellow Boras client. Boras told reporters (including those at Nikkan Sports) that the pair would follow the same approximate timeline. They'll be posted tomorrow before traveling to the United States in early December. That sets them up to be in the country in time to begin negotiations with clubs ahead of this year's Winter Meetings, which are set to run from December 7 through December 10 this year."
"Turning back to Okamoto specifically, the 29-year-old is coming off a strong season in 2025 that was abbreviated by an elbow injury. While he only played in 69 games, he managed to slash .327/.416/.598 with 15 homers and 21 doubles in just 293 trips to the plate. He also showed strong contact ability and plate discipline with 11.3% strikeout and walk rates."
"That's an unusually low strikeout rate by his standards, but even his 17.7% clip since the start of the 2018 season is nothing to scoff at. Impressive as Okamoto's career .277/.361/.521 slash line in Central League play is, however, it's worth remembering that NPB pitchers often lack the same high-end velocity that has become routine in MLB. Some scouting reports, including that of Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, have noted that Okamoto's numbers suffer against mid-90s and higher velocity."
Kazuma Okamoto will be posted on Nov 19, starting a 45-day negotiation period. He and Tatsuya Imai will follow the same timeline and travel to the United States in early December to be available for the Winter Meetings (Dec 7–10). The posting windows end in early January, though signings could occur before the holidays. Okamoto, 29, had an elbow-shortened 2025 season, slashing .327/.416/.598 with 15 homers and 21 doubles in 69 games and 293 plate appearances. He showed 11.3% strikeout and walk rates, a career Central League slash of .277/.361/.521, and scouts note struggles versus mid-90s+ velocity.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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