Latest Japanese slugger to hit the market has a perfect profile for Mariners

Most of the buzz about Japanese free agents this offseason has been about Munetaka Murakami and Tatsuya Imai. The Mariners have been linked to the former as a potential suitor, but the concerns about his underlying skillset and ability to adapt to big league pitching might be enough for Seattle to turn their attention elsewhere.

Luckily, there's another name that could end up being the team's next big swing of the offseason.

Kazuma Okamoto has been posted and could be a big improvement to the Mariners' lineup

Kazuma Okamoto's 45-day window to sign with an MLB team has officially opened. He has had an illustrious 11-year career in NPB and in 2025, he posted a 1.014 OPS with 21 doubles and 15 home runs over 293 plate appearances. What makes him particularly effective is that he brings the power of Murakami without the swing-and-miss, especially against higher velocity.

He's on the older side and will be nearly 30 by Opening Day in 2026, but that actually plays into the Mariners' favor. Because of his age, he isn't expected to cost very much. MLB Trade Rumors estimates that he'll receive a contract around four years, $64 million. This is more than affordable for Seattle, as demonstrated by the terms of the deal they recently struck with Josh Naylor.

Not only would those projected terms fall within Seattle's budget, the length of the proposed contract would also be ideal. Although he played both corner infield positions last season, he spent the majority of his time at third base, a position the Mariners are looking to fill after the departure of Eugenio Suárez. However, with Colt Emerson's professional career looking more promising with each season, it may not be long before he gets called up.

Emerson has mostly played shortstop in the minor leagues but has started at least a handful of games at the hot corner each year. This is because he has the arm strength to play third and scouts believe that it may actually be a better position for him in the long run.

The Mariners don't need a franchise third baseman because they already have one waiting in the wings. Despite Emerson's elite prospect pedigree, it will still be a few years until he's reached his full potential and given the current state of the team, Seattle can't afford to waste their current competitive window.

In his scouting report of the free agents coming over from Asia, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs wrote that Okamoto is "the bumper bowling version of Murakami" which would make the most sense for the organization right now. The Mariners already saw lukewarm results from a strikeout-prone player at third base — it's time to try the opposite approach and fill the spot with someone who embodies that need.