Tigers should target Japanese star for 2026, but not the one who everyone thinks

The slow but steady exodus of Japan's top talent from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB was headlined in 2024 by phenom Roki Sasaki, but pitchers Tomoyuki Sugano and Shinnosuke Ogasawara also made their debuts this year for the Orioles and Nationals, and more are on their way.

The headliner going into the 2026 season will be slugger Munetaka Murakami, who hit 56 homers for the Yakult Swallows in 2022 and drew international attention during the 2023 World Baseball Classic with a walk-off two-run double against Team Mexico in the semifinal.

Murakami has already been variously linked to the Dodgers, Mets, Cubs, Angels, and even the Tigers, but no doubt he'll come with a hefty price tag on top of a posting fee for the Swallows.

However, fellow NPB star Kazuma Okamoto might be a better fit for Detroit, and on Wednesday, he confirmed himself that he'll be posted this offseason.

Okamoto is a 29-year-old utility player (though he's spent most of his time at the infield corners) for the Yomiuri Giants, and he hit .327 with a 1.014 OPS for them in 69 games this season. He could turn out to be comparably expensive to Murakami even if he is lesser-known, but he makes far more sense for the Tigers.

Tigers should target NPB utility player Kazuma Okamoto, not Munetaka Murakami, in the offseason

Okamoto is 29 and Murakami is 25, which could ultimately make Okamoto slightly cheaper, but he's been a far more consistent bat despite running into some trouble with injuries this season. From 2018 through 2024, he stayed almost completely healthy and put up six 30+ homer seasons — with 41 in 2023. He's a six-time NPB All-Star, a three-time home run leader (2020, 2021, 2023), two-time RBI leader (2020, 2021), and a two-time Golden Glove winner (2021, 2022).

Murakami already looks destined to become a full-time DH despite being currently listed as a third and first baseman. The Tigers have been loathe to install a full-time DH over the past few seasons, preferring instead to keep that spot fluid based on pitching matchups. Okamoto also fits in nicely with the Tigers' penchant for mixing up their defense.

The Tigers are still in desperate need of a sound defensive third baseman with some pop, and Okamoto checks both of those boxes. Though untested in MLB, and a learning curve is inevitable, he'll probably end up being signed for far less money than Alex Bregman and is two years younger.

Competition for Okamoto will be fierce, but the Tigers have nothing to lose by throwing their hat into the ring — and for a guy who suits a lot of their needs.