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EspañolDUNEDIN, Fla. — Kazuma Okamoto took a powerful swing and aimed for the batter’s eye beyond the centre field wall.
It was a quiet Friday morning at Blue Jays camp, and Okamoto was on a backfield along with a few coaches plus teammates including Daulton Varsho, Andrés Giménez and Myles Straw. Later in the day, Okamoto would leave for the World Baseball Classic to represent Japan, but before he left there was time for some friendly competition in the form of a mini home run derby.
“Five-for-six!” hitting coach David Popkins yelled, as Okamoto sent one over the fence for a homer.
Around the batting cage, his teammates shouted in approval. And while Giménez would eventually win the competition with a series of moonshots pulled down the right field line, the moment illustrated what Okamoto has accomplished in his first two weeks at Blue Jays camp. He’s now a teammate rather than a stranger, with familiarity and trust gradually replacing the awkwardness that can come from joining a new team in a new country while speaking a foreign language.
After batting practice, Okamoto addressed a crowd of mostly Japanese media, explaining that he’s now feeling far more comfortable than before.
“I’m getting used to the flow,” Okamoto said via interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “And I think I’ve gotten a hold of it. It’s been really fun.”
While the language barrier is real, Okamoto has support in the form of Oshima, who worked for the Blue Jays as Yusei Kikuchi’s interpreter before returning this off-season to ease Okamoto’s transition. Other Japanese speakers on staff include Yuka Sanui, the team dietician, and Gosuke Katoh, a former big-league infielder who’s now an analyst in major-league operations.
And, potentially, Myles Straw.
“I’m starting to learn a few words here and there,” Straw said with a smile Friday morning. “I’ll say something and he’ll just laugh. He probably thinks it’s funny. But yeah, I’m going to put in the effort to learn. It’s good to communicate a little bit.”
For now, Straw speaks with Okamoto via Oshima, or simply via body language and vibes. Straw can tell Okamoto has a sense of humour, so he likes to tease him a little when the moment is right.
“He’s a great talent, we’re all happy to have him and he’s kind of a funny guy, so we’re trying to break him in a little bit,” Straw said. “Just to get a smile out of him is a good feeling.”
Many others have made a point of getting to know Okamoto, too. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already has a handshake with the third baseman while George Springer spent plenty of time alongside him, too.
“He’s gotten acclimated really quickly and become one of the boys,” Ernie Clement said.
Mind you, Okamoto might be making that transition look easier than it is. Having played for five different teams, Tyler Heineman knows the challenge of walking into a new clubhouse — and he’s never dealt with the language barrier now facing Okamoto.
“It’s difficult at first,” said Heineman. “You kind of feel isolated and lonely. But it gets better and better and the veterans on this team and most teams I’ve been on do a good job of somehow finding a way to include them.”
With that knowledge in mind, manager John Schneider is happy to see Okamoto adjusting smoothly with the help of his new teammates, but he’s also glad that the 29-year-old speaks up when he needs to know something.
“For us it hasn’t been real challenging,” Schneider said. “He’s been awesome. He really is receptive, and not afraid to ask questions, which we love.”
Naturally, there have been adjustments for Okamoto, who’s used to a different daily rhythm that’s more spread out and less condensed. When asked about his biggest surprise so far, his answer was brief.
“Everyone’s huge here,” he said.
Asked to expand, the six-foot, 212-pound Okamoto elaborated: “Everyone’s tall. Everyone’s muscular. In Japan, everyone’s around the same eye level as me or lower, and now I’m having to look up. It’s been a big surprise.”
Regardless, the results on the field have been encouraging so far. Not only has he held his own at third base with a series of stellar plays, he’s hitting .333/.400/.889 with a steady dose of batted balls above 100 m.p.h.
“He’s very smooth in everything he does,” Clement said. “He’s got one of the smoothest right-handed swings that I’ve ever seen, honestly, and then he’s really smooth in the field. He’s going to fit right in and make a really, really big impact with us.”
“It’s spring training,” Schneider acknowledged. “I’m not going to get too excited. But everything looks like it should from the way he can adjust to the intent with which he’s swinging, and he can make contact, too. I’ve been really, really happy with the progress.”
“It looks right. It’s been cool to watch.”
With a lifetime OPS of .856 in Japan and six seasons with 30 or more home runs, Okamoto’s upside has never been in question. However, reaching that potential at the MLB level requires comfort in a new environment. That’s why these first two weeks at camp have been a vital step for the Blue Jays’ new third baseman.
“He’s one of us now,” Straw said.
