Hours before Japanese free agent Kazuma Okamoto's posting window was set to close, the Toronto Blue Jays swooped in. They signed the NPB veteran, a longtime Yomiuri Giant, to a four-year, $60 million deal, improving their infield and getting a jolt of power in the process.
Okamoto, 29, is a corner infielder the Boston Red Sox also considered signing this offseason. After yet another season-defining injury to Triston Casas and Alex Bregman's contract opt-out, Boston's lineup had uncertainties at both corners. Okamoto could've helped address defensive woes and offensive inconsistency in both positions, but signing players from NPB is risky, as evidenced by Masataka Yoshida's rocky MLB tenure so far.