Shohei Ohtani, Kazuma Okamoto, and Munetaka Murakami Achieve a First in MLB History! A Thorough Analysis of Why Japanese Players in the Majors Are “Churning Out Home Runs”
Part 1
A First in MLB History
“It’s been 22 years since Hideki Matsui (52) became the first Japanese player to hit 30 home runs in the majors, and now we finally have a ‘Japanese 30-home-run trio.’ This will likely be a historic turning point that significantly raises the market value of Japanese sluggers in Major League Baseball,” said Major League Baseball analyst Nachi Tomonari.
Shohei Ohtani (32) of the Dodgers hit 30, Kazuma Okamoto (30) of the Blue Jays hit 33, and Munetaka Murakami (26) of the White Sox hit 35.This season, three Japanese Major Leaguers all hit 30 home runs. Needless to say, this is a first in MLB history.
“However, even though they all hit 30 home runs, the ‘quality’ of their home runs and at-bats varies from player to player. Each is hitting home runs in bulk by leveraging their own unique strengths, while also facing their own distinct challenges,” he added.
So, what exactly are these three players’ “strengths” and “challenges”? And why were they able to hit so many home runs?
First, let’s look at Okamoto, one half of the “Golden Rookie Duo” who became the team’s main power hitter in his very first year in the majors. Baseball analyst Takeshi Yamazaki, who won the home run title in both the Central and Pacific Leagues during his playing career, explains:
“This season, Okamoto notably hit a lot of home runs pulled—that is, hit toward the left-field stands. Presumably, to cope with Major League fastballs, he positioned his point of contact slightly further forward.”
Mr. Yamazaki’s observation is reflected in the data. Of the 33 home runs Okamoto hit this season, only six landed in right field. The remaining 27 all flew into the center or left-field stands.
“It’s easy to say, but in MLB—where fast, moving pitches are the norm—the fact that he was able to find the sweet spot to hit home runs is a testament to his skill.“Ever since his NPB days, Okamoto has been a hitter who maintained a compact swing without over-swinging. For that very reason, there were concerns that he might be overpowered in the majors, but he’s been able to handle it without any issues thanks to his natural power,” (ibid.)
The Savior Was a Japanese Nutritionist
It’s not uncommon for players to struggle to fully adapt to life in the U.S. for the first time, leading to weight loss and a decline in muscle strength during their rookie year. However, it seems Okamoto had a powerful ally.
“It’s well known that former Major Leaguer Gosho Kato serves as an assistant in the Blue Jays’ operations department. Being able to learn about opponent data and pitching tendencies in Japanese was a huge help.
However, the person who deserves the most credit is someone else: the team’s registered dietitian, Yuka Sanui. She studied nutrition in graduate school in the U.S. and has been working with the Blue Jays since last season.To help Okamoto endure the grueling Major League schedule, Ms. Sanui meticulously managed his nutritional balance and supported his diet. As a result, even as the heat intensified in July and August, Okamoto’s weight never dropped below 100 kg, and his power didn’t wane until the very end of the season,” said a sports newspaper reporter covering Major League Baseball.
On the other hand, Okamoto’s challenge is clear: his high number of strikeouts (183), which set a new franchise record. Okamoto was the only batter on the team to record more than 100 strikeouts this season.
“The data-driven Blue Jays decided to sign Okamoto because his strikeout rate in the NPB was lower than Murakami’s.However, this season he recorded a strikeout rate of 28.8%, among the worst in the league. It’s said this is the price he paid for adjusting his swing to handle fastballs. That said, since he leads the team in both home runs and RBIs, I’d give him a 120-point performance for his first year,” said Mr. Tomonari, cited earlier.
Key points ahead. An increase in home runs pulled to the left
From the October 23 & 30, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*
PHOTO： AFLO