Despite the number of infielders on their roster, the Boston Red Sox entered the offseason with their 2026 infield uncertain. In the wake of Alex Bregman's expected contract opt out, Boston committed to Trevor Story as the shortstop, but that was about it.
The acquisition of Willson Contreras helps the Red Sox with their instability at first base, but second and third base are still up in the air. A reunion with Bregman is the best case scenario for the Sox, which would push Marcelo Mayer to second base. But another corner infield free agent has intrigued some Boston fans.
Star Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto has been floated as a first or third base option by some fans and a few insiders. The longtime Yomiuri Giant of Nippon Professional Baseball must sign with an MLB team before his free agent posting window closes on January 4. If he remains unsigned past the deadline, he'll be returned to the Giants to continue his playing career in his home country.
The Red Sox have only been linked to Okamoto by a few insiders, and they are reportedly not among the finalists for his services as his posting window winds down (subscription required). According to Francys Romero, the Angels, Padres and Pirates are the top suitors in the final days of his MLB free agency. On December 29, Yahoo! Sports reported that Okamoto traveled to the States to have meetings with the teams Romero mentioned in his market, as well as the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Cubs and Diamondbacks, all notable players in the Bregman market.
Red Sox not among obvious finalists for Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto as posting window nears close
Okamoto made more sense as a fit for Boston before its addition of Willson Contreras. The veteran has played first and third base for the NPB Giants and his first base defense is superior to his performance at the opposite corner.
Okamoto is known for his solid all-around play, boasting a career .277/.361/.521 slash line and .882 OPS over 11 seasons. He logged over 30 homers in six straight seasons from 2018-23, and his right-handed power bat could work well for the Red Sox, especially at Fenway Park.
But Boston's top priority remains a reunion with Bregman, which makes the most sense for it at this stage. Players' transition from NPB to MLB isn't always perfect, as evidenced by Masataka Yoshida's rocky tenure with the Sox, for which injuries are partially to blame, but the level of play is simply not the same between the two leagues.
At this point in their competitive window, the Red Sox need a proven leader who can help point them in the right direction. Okamoto is certainly the kind of player younger ones could model their game after, with his consistency at the plate and rock-solid first base defense, but Bregman's World Series pedigree and his previous relationship with Red Sox players and coaches is too well-matched to pass up for a player with no MLB experience.