Kazuma Okamoto Reaches 500 Level for Blue Jays in 423-Foot Shot

Kazuma Okamoto sent an 87 mile per hour slider into the fifth deck at Rogers Centre on Friday, becoming the 10th player in Toronto Blue Jays franchise history to hit a home run into the 500 level. The 423-foot blast put Toronto ahead 3-0 in the first game of its three-game set with the Yankees.

Rogers Centre Fifth Deck

The homer put Okamoto in a narrow club. He joined Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado, Jose Canseco, Shawn Green, Raul Mondesi, Josh Phelps, Vernon Wells, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson as the only Blue Jays to reach the fifth deck with a home run.

Since Rogers Centre opened in 1989, only 19 MLB players have reached the 500 level with a home run. Okamoto became the 19th.

Okamoto's Early Season Line

Friday's swing also fit into a steady first season in the majors. Okamoto entered the game batting.230/.309/.422 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI.

He turned a single pitch from Ryan Weathers into an immediate lead. Toronto entered Friday in third place in the American League East at 33-36, nine games back of the Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees for the top spot.

Blue Jays' Margin Over Yankees

The 3-0 start gave Toronto an early edge in the opener of the three-game set, with the fifth-deck shot carrying the biggest individual mark of the night. For Okamoto, it was the kind of swing that places him in franchise company and on a short list that has grown only to 19 players in the majors since 1989.