Move over, Eric Hinske. There’s a new franchise leader in rookie home runs — Japan’s Kazuma Okamoto.

During Tuesday’s 10-5 blowout victory at Tropicana Field, Okamoto blasted his 25th home run of the season off former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Steven Matz, connecting on an 81.7-m.p.h. changeup that missed over the heart of the plate and travelled an estimated 442 feet — serving as his second-longest home run this year, trailing only his 453-foot dinger back in May.

With this solo shot, the 30-year-old — in the final months of his first major league campaign following a decade-long span in the NPB — surpassed Hinske’s rookie record of 24 from the 2002 season, becoming the franchise’s single-season leader among rookies.

Okamoto also notched his 72nd RBI against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, putting him six back of tying J.P. Arencibia for the second-most as a rookie. Hinske holds the franchise’s rookie record in that department with 84.

While there have been plenty of highs and lows in Year 1 of a four-year, $60 million contract, it’s been an excellent debut season for Okamoto, who, along with Chicago’s Munetaka Murakami, has already surpassed Shohei Ohtani (22) for the most home runs in a single season by a Japanese-born rookie. However, Murakami currently leads that ongoing race, sitting with 29 round-trippers thus far.

Even so, Okamoto has far exceeded expectations during his inaugural Blue Jays campaign, leading the team in home runs and RBIs by a significant margin and ranking first in slugging percentage (.432). He also currently sits third in both wRC+ (105, five per cent above league average) and fWAR (1.8) among the club’s qualified position players (min. 100 plate appearances).

The Japanese slugger will need to display improved plate discipline and swing decisions next season, given that he posted impressive walk and strikeout totals before arriving in North America. But considering he’s established himself as one of the offence’s core pillars, there’s lots to feel encouraged about moving forward with his bat. Not to mention what he’s brought defensively at the hot corner, too.

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