Blue Jays didn't expect to have this team competing with them for Kazuma Okamoto

The Toronto Blue Jays have had their eye on Japanese talent for a long time. They are determined and poised to make an impression in that market. Sometimes, the Blue Jays need to be careful about flouting the rules in pursuit of these goals. Maybe this year though, they could land someone who is actually motivated to play on a roster like theirs.

When it comes to NPB star Kazuma Okamoto, could the Blue Jays actually be facing stiff competition from the likes of the Pittsburgh Pirates? The same Pirates team that hasn't posted a winning season since 2018? The same one that routinely runs minuscule payrolls?

Blue Jays didn't expect to have this team competing with them for Kazuma Okamoto

The Buccos finally seem motivated to break out of their interminable rebuild and are sending signals that they plan to be aggressive in free agency this winter. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich wrote in The Athletic that Okamato is among the “perhaps more realistic options” to bolster their lineup.

Blue Jays fans will believe it when they see it. If Okamoto is anything like Tsatsuya Imai, as mentioned above, then the Pirates could offer him the best opportunity to beat the Dodgers. Imagine if the Pirates pitching staff were healthy in a best-of-three wild card series with the Dodgers? In the small sample of October playoff baseball, maybe the Pirates could pull off the upset.

Other reported suitors like the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners and New York Mets would serve as a reminder that the Blue Jays now reside at the adult table. If the Blue Jays are intent on competing for another shot at a World Series title, then they need to fend off those clubs in order to land marquee talent.

The Pirates really just need offense to complement a star-studded pitching staff led by Paul Skenes. They posted the worst OPS of any team (.655), Former Blue Jay Spencer Horwitz was one of the few regulars to actually post a WRC+ over 100 last season (118 WRC+). Still, the Pirates need a lot more offense and Okamato could provide that in spades.

The beauty of Okamoto is that his defensive profile is better than fellow Japanese counterpart Munetaka Murikami. While they both play the same positions, Okamoto is seen as a better defender even if he can't stay at third base long term. No problem for the Pirates who have a pronounced need at third base after trading Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds at the trade deadline. Okamoto can even be the full time DH.

Even better news for the Pirates is that Okamoto is only projected by MLB Trade Rumors to sign a four-year, $64 million deal. Murikami, meanwhile, is seen landing a deal somewhere in excess of $100 million. Landing Okamoto would bring the Pirates more attention and should be a reason for the team to sell more tickets and merchandise.

It's potentially a huge gamble, but the Blue Jays are fortunate to find themselves in these discussions. The Pirates represent a real threat even if they don't offer a clear path to winning a World Series. The inclusion of another team in the bidding only adds to the headaches of the Blue Jays front office.