Despite a month in which they slid further below .500, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays has taken home some June hardware.
Third baseman Kazuma Okamoto was named AL Rookie of the Month, the league announced on Friday, after the Jays’ leader in homers batted .286 (26-for-91) with seven homers, 20 RBI and 15 runs across 25 games.
The big-hitting 30-year-old has taken to the majors with ease in his first season, leading Toronto in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage and OPS while batting .240 in 84 games.
Okamoto is the first Blue Jay to get a Rookie of the Month nod since Alek Manoah, who took it home in October 2021.
The reigning rookie of the month and the Blue Jays got off to a winning start this month, with a 9-3 win on Canada Day, and will look to continue their climb back to .500 when they open a three-game set in Seattle against the Mariners on Friday night.
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