While Kazuma Okamoto has had a productive rookie campaign with the Toronto Blue Jays, his position in the lineup may have actually kept his numbers down.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider faced scrutiny regarding the lineup usage of infielder Kazuma Okamoto throughout the 2026 MLB season. Entering a September 23 matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, the offseason free-agent signing led the Blue Jays with 33 home runs and 89 RBIs, significantly outpacing teammates George Springer and Andrés Giménez.
Despite Okamoto's offensive production, Schneider frequently placed the 30-year-old third baseman fifth or lower in the batting order 77 times during the season. Okamoto was slotted fifth 34 times, sixth 24 times, and lower in the order on 19 other occasions, drawing questions from observers about his lineup placement.
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