Blue Jays fans can thank Kazuma Okamoto's daughter for free agent deal

6 days ago 2

Blue Jays fans can thank Kazuma Okamoto's daughter for free agent deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed six-time NPB All-Star Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal to take on a super utility role this season for Toronto.

It was a big deal for the Blue Jays, as it was their first big decision with the lineup this winter. For Okamoto, it was an even bigger decision, as he's making the leap to Major League Baseball.

But this big decision wasn't made by Okamoto alone. As Keegan Matheson of MLB.com shared that Okamoto's daughter played a role in the Japanese slugger choosing the Blue Jays this winter in a heartwarming revelation.

Blue Jays got some help from Okamoto's daughter amid FA decision

"Kazuma Okamoto says he loves the city of Toronto and is excited about the team," Matheson reports, "but there was another piece to his decision: Okamoto put all 30 MLB logos in front of his daughter and asked her which one she liked the most. She chose the Blue Jays."

This is an incredible backstory behind Okamoto's decision to come to Toronto. While this decision from his daughter didn't directly lead to his signing with the Blue Jays, it might have played a factor.

If Okamoto got similar offers from two teams, the team his daughter expressed a liking for (with their logo), then there would be another reason to join that team.

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The Blue Jays' iconic logo is one of the best in Major League Baseball, and this reaction from Okamoto's daughter certainly helps strengthen that belief.

Okamoto came to Toronto thanks to a reasonable $60 million contract offer, but he also joined the Blue Jays thanks to some help from his daughter.

It's a heartwarming anecdote on one of the Blue Jays' biggest moves of the offseason so far, with Okamoto's daughter playing a role in his decision to come to Toronto.