Time is running out for the Mariners to crash Kazuma Okamoto's free agency

This is the part of the offseason where the Seattle Mariners love to live: close enough to the action to feel involved, far enough away to avoid committing to anything messy.

But Kazuma Okamoto’s posting window is about to slam shut, and if Seattle is even remotely serious about adding the kind of bat that changes the temperature of a lineup, this is the moment to stop window-shopping and actually kick the door open.

Okamoto’s deadline is Sunday, January 4 at 2 p.m. PT (5 p.m. ET). We haven’t seen the kind of firm Mariners smoke that usually precedes an actual Dipoto move. But MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand has included Seattle among the teams “connected” to Okamoto (along with the Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, and Angels). Connected isn’t the same as “front-runner”… but it’s enough to justify picking up the phone.

Mariners still have time to crash Kazuma Okamoto’s posting window

Okamoto makes too much sense for Seattle to ignore. They need another hitter who makes opposing pitchers care again. And he checks the most important box for 81 games at T-Mobile Park: real power. He has 248 career homers in NPB and is a six-time All-Star, with a long stretch of 30-homer seasons. Even in an injury-limited 2025 (an elbow issue), he raked when he played. 

The other part is the defensive flexibility. Feinsand points out Okamoto is viewed as a better defender than Munetaka Murakami and could realistically handle either first or third in the majors. That matters for a Mariners roster that’s constantly trying to optimize matchups and find offense without turning the defense into a tire fire. 

“But can the Mariners afford him?” Yeah… kind of. And that’s what makes this feel so Mariners-coded: they can do it, which is exactly why fans are bracing for them to talk themselves out of it.

Depending on which projection you trust, the Mariners still have roughly $10–15 million in breathing room after the Josh Naylor contract. It’s not unlimited, but it’s plenty to justify chasing one more impact bat if they actually want to finish the job.

And unlike the trade market, you’re not coughing up talent to do it. It’s just money and conviction — two things the Mariners have historically treated like they’re rare minerals.

On the other hand, a reunion with Eugenio Suárez would be fun. It would be familiar. It would also be… a reunion, meaning it’s probably a shorter-term patch for a player who’s 34 now. Okamoto, meanwhile, is 29 and could give you a longer runway while still fitting the “win now” window. 

Any NPB-to-MLB hitter comes with questions. Many analysts flag how their play plays against big-league velocity. A fair point. But you know what else is? The Mariners spending another season trying to win 88–92 games with a lineup that too often feels like it’s asking the pitching staff to be perfect. If you’re going to take a risk, take it on a player who can actually move the needle.

If the Mariners are going to be the kind of team that seriously competes, this is the type of market they have to be willing to crash.