MLB teams hit with major setback as NPB home run leader Kazuma Okamoto slated for Yomiuri Giants stay beyond 2023

The Yomiuri Giants have refused to release Kazuma Okamoto for the upcoming offseason. This means that plenty of MLB teams who were hoping to sign the Japanese star, will not have a chance as he is set to remain in the Nippon Professional Baseball League.

Kazuma Okamoto has quickly established himself as one of the leading players in the NPB. Starting off his career with the Yomiuri Giants in 2015, Okamoto has been selected as an All-Star twice. He has been one of the key figures in the Central League of the NPB.

This season, the 27-year-old has hit a league-leading 41 homers. Overall in his career, he is batting at an average of .276 with 418 RBIs and 138 home runs. Everyone got a glimpse of Kazuma Okamoto when he was part of Team Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic and won the gold.

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Kazuma Okamoto not available for international free agency till 2026

As reports suggest, the Yomiuri Giants are unwilling to let go of their star player anytime in the near future. Okamoto, in the 2022 offseason, renewed his contract with the club after he was offered captaincy of the team. He is expected to be earning around 270 million yen which is something around $1.5 million.

Kazuma Okamoto will be available for international free agency only in 2026 after his contract runs out. Till then, if the Giants are unwilling to post their star infielder, the MLB will not have a chance to sign him.