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Blue Jays expected to cut infielder loose to open roster spot
Photo credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
Kazuma Okamoto's Toronto Blue Jays deal could squeeze Leo Jimenez out of the 40-man roster.
On Saturday, the Associated Press pegged Kazuma Okamoto's agreement with Toronto at four years and $60 million, with a $5 million signing bonus. AP News added a $10.875 million posting fee, so this is a real investment, not a flyer.
Okamoto has 248 homers in 1,074 NPB games, and he rattled off six straight 30-homer seasons from 2018 through 2023.
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked in at first, the assumption is Okamoto lives at third base and hits in the heart of the order. Toronto's problem is simple, the club's 40-man roster is already full on MLB.com.
BlueJaysNation pointed out that even with future 60-day IL shuffling, one current name has to be removed before the signing can be processed.
The Blue Jays did DFA Paxton Schultz this evening but since he is a pitcher, they are likely to also move an infielder due to the Okamoto signing and since the roster is currently full, one more signing will automatically force them to make another roster move.
Kazuma Okamoto will likely push Leo Jimenez off the roster
I love the ambition, but I hate to see a solid young player who has not really been given a chance in the MLB big pushed out because of a roster technicality.
In 2024, Jimenez played 63 games and hit .229/.329/.358 with four homers, solid contact for a glove-first middle infielder.
He cratered in a tiny 2025 sample at .069 in 18 games, and Spotrac had him at an $800,000 salary, which makes him movable.
Blue Jays, 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto reportedly agree to deal, per multiple reports including @MLBNetwork insider @JonHeyman
The bigger issue is options, Fangraphs shows Jimenez has none left, so he can't be quietly stashed in Buffalo and will have to be put on waivers or trade if they decide to part ways.
BlueJaysNation floated escape hatches like DFA'ing a depth reliever or cutting a Rule 5 pick, but those moves risk thinning out the pitching pipeline. That's why Jimenez, squeezed by Okamoto and a crowded infield, keeps coming up as the clean cut.
The front office will try to trade him first, because losing a controllable shortstop for nothing is a bad taste.
Source: Blue Jays Nation
Blue Jays: Predicting the next 40-man roster move following the Kazuma Okamoto signing
Blue Jays: Predicting the next 40-man roster move following the Kazuma Okamoto signing
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