The New York Mets fanbase has never been in such a tizzy before – at least not to this extent. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns and the rest of the front office have to try to win over this fanbase. Stearns, who grew up a Mets fan himself, has not let sentimentality get in his way. He has a ton of work to do, and he knows it. After trading Brandon Nimmo for Marcus Semien and letting perhaps the best closer in baseball, Edwin Diaz, and franchise home run leader Pete Alonso leave to new clubs, the $10 million making POBO might be the most hated man in New York.
This Japanese Star Makes Too Much Sense for the Mets
One of the first moves David Stearns and the Mets should make in the post-Diaz/Alonso era is to pursue Kazuma Okamoto. The 29-year-old right-handed hitter has recorded 248 home runs for the Yomiuri Giants during his career in Nippon Professional Baseball, reaching the 30-homer plateau in six straight seasons (2018-23) with a career-high 41 in 2023.
After dropping to 27 homers over 143 games in 2024, injuries limited Okamoto to 77 games in 2025. Even so, he went deep 15 times and recorded a .992 OPS. He’s a lifetime .277/.361/.521 hitter in NPB. However, the slugger isn’t just known for his offense – he’s also a proven defender, having won multiple Gold Gloves playing both third and first base.
Signing a guy like Okamoto fits Stearns’ “run prevention” philosophy, particularly given his Gold Glove defense. Despite not being publicly linked, the Mets have at least checked in. The most recent Mets’ signing of a Japanese player came when the team inked right-hander Kodai Senga to a five-year, $75 million deal. The Mets are now actively exploring trade scenarios involving the former 2023 All-Star.
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After signing infielder Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million deal on Saturday, league sources expect the Mets to use him in a mix of first base and designated hitter. Offensively, Polanco makes the Mets a better team today than yesterday. In 2025, the 33-year-old slashed .265/.326/.495 with an .821 OPS – his best mark since 2021 (.826).
The former All-Star can play nearly anywhere around the diamond except catcher. He spent the first seven seasons of his career as a shortstop before primarily shifting to second base, and he has appeared in 29 career games at third as well. Polanco logged just one game at first base last year – his first – while spending most of the year as a DH with the Mariners. Relying on him to handle the bulk of first base duties in 2026 would be risky, especially given Stearns’ desire to prioritize defense. Polanco generally grades out as a below-average defender, and teams acquire him for his versatility and bat, not his glove.
Signing Okamoto would provide far more stability at first base.
The Athletic’s Tim Britton projects Kazuma Okamoto to sign a four-year, $78.5 million deal ($19.625 million AAV). He was posted on November 21 and must sign by 5 p.m. on January 4, 2026.
Notes:
The Mets have signed right-handers Daniel Duarte and Zach Peek, both to minor league contracts. Duarte, 29, has a 3.99 ERA in 36 big league innings as a reliever. Peek, 27, produced a 3.63 ERA in 69.1 IP this past season in the Brewers organization.
Main Photo Credits: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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