Kazuma Okamoto breaks Ohtani's record for most home runs by a Japanese-born rookie

[p]He surpassed Shohei Ohtani's 22 that he hit when he was with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okamoto-kazuma/2iphqXCP/"]Okamoto[/a], 30, also brought his RBI total for the season up to 65 - the most by any player on the team by a wide margin ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guerrero-jr-vladimir/QJ6EIGgH/"]Vladimiri Guerrero[/a] Jr. - 42). [/p][embed guid="0dbc6528-7895-460c-b7e8-c4e1efd82d0e" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2080829328086958290?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-blue-jays/zcDLaZ3b/"]Toronto[/a] signed Okamoto during the offseason to a four-year, $60 million deal, and the production has proven why he was paid as much as he was. He is not only the lone player on his team with more than 20 home runs, but he's also the only player on the Blue Jays this season with more than 10. [/p][p]Okamato was in a slump himself, going hitless in his last 22 at-bats heading into Friday's game against the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/boston-red-sox/zaXTinF3/"]Red Sox[/a].[/p][p]The team is struggling mightily this year after representing the American League in the 2025 World Series. They're currently in last place in the AL East division with a 47-56 record and sit 12 games behind the first-place [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tampa-bay-rays/GCHgI4hp/"]Rays[/a]. [/p][p]However, the team is still just six games back of a Wild Card spot, leaving plenty of opportunity between now and the postseason to get things back in gear. [/p]