Kazuma Okamoto’s Path to 30 Home Runs with the Blue Jays: How Abandoning His “Bow-Legged” Stance Took Him Beyond His Giants Peak
His batting average and slugging percentage have skyrocketed since he changed his batting position!
The reason for his rapid rise in performance is his standing position at bat
Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto (29) has taken his hitting to another level.
Through April 18 (Japan time), he was batting .188 with a .290 slugging percentage and two home runs. By May 11, however, those numbers had surged to .248, .483, and 10 home runs. The key appears to be his position in the batter’s box. According to MLB’s official data analysis site, he moved about 17 centimeters farther back toward the umpire.
“He’s been able to pick up pitches much better. The biggest effect has been on his ability to handle breaking balls, which had been a weakness. Before the adjustment, he was hitting in the mid-.100s against breaking pitches, but afterward he’s been batting well over .300 against them,” said an MLB reporter for a sports newspaper.
But Okamoto’s evolution doesn’t stop there. He has also made major changes to his batting form since his days with the Giants. Looking at the sequence photos provided, motion-analysis specialist Takashi Kawamura, a professor in the School of Health and Physical Education at the University of Tsukuba, offers his assessment.
“His basic style remains the same as it was in Japan: starting from a relaxed, natural stance and generating momentum with a one-leg batting motion by lifting his left leg (①). However, during his Giants days, his right knee was bent much more, giving him a bow-legged appearance. While that helped keep his weight on the right leg and prevented his body from lunging forward, it also created unnecessary movement. Now, after abandoning that bow-legged stance, the bend in his right knee is much smaller, allowing for smoother weight transfer. As a result, the power generated by his entire body is transmitted to the ball much more efficiently.”
The same single leg hitting method as in Japan gives momentum to the form
In photo ②, pay attention to the line formed by his shoulders.
“During his Giants days, the line between his shoulders was almost parallel to the ground, which produced a level swing and a lot of backspin on batted balls. In the majors, however, he intentionally lowers his right shoulder to create an angle. His tilted upper body and legs form a shape resembling the Japanese character ‘入,’ allowing the bat path to work downward into the hitting zone from above.”
② He deliberately lowers his right shoulder, tilting his upper body. His overall posture forms a shape resembling the Japanese character “入.”In photo ③, Okamoto briefly drops the bat before swinging it upward.
“The purpose is to lift the ball from underneath and drive it farther. In MLB, home runs and OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) are valued more highly than batting average. Okamoto’s new swing, designed to generate more power, is well suited to the major leagues.”
③ He swings the bat upward after lowering it. This allows him to lift the ball and drive it farther.Photo ④ also shows a large follow-through.
“That’s evidence that his bat-head speed is not dropping off. If he can maintain his current form, I believe he can hit 30 home runs and drive in close to 100 runs, even with a batting average in the low .200s. Okamoto is also a strong defensive player at both first and third base, so he should continue to be a key part of the Blue Jays’ lineup.”
With a revamped hitting style tailored to the major leagues, Okamoto appears poised to surpass even the accomplishments of his Giants days.
Large follow-through
④ Because his bat-head speed does not slow down, his follow-through becomes larger and more complete.From the May 29, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”
PHOTO： Yuji Taguchi