Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto joins elite group with 500-level home run

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Kazuma Okamoto became the 10th player in franchise history to hit a home run into the 500 level at Rogers Centre on Friday against the New York Yankees. He connected on an 87 mile per hour slider from Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers, sending the ball 423 feet to left field and into the fifth deck. The homer gave Toronto an early 3-0 lead in the first game of the series.

Okamoto joined Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado, Jose Canseco, Shawn Green, Raul Mondesi, Josh Phelps, Vernon Wells, Edwin Encarnacion, and Josh Donaldson as Blue Jays players to reach the upper deck. He also became the 19th player in MLB history to reach the 500 level since Rogers Centre opened in 1989.

Entering Friday, Okamoto was slashing .230/.309/.422 with 13 home runs and 38 RBI in his first MLB season. He later hit his team-leading 14th home run, also off Weathers, who allowed six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings and has surrendered seven home runs in his past three starts.

Toronto went on to defeat New York 8-5. Alejandro Kirk returned from a fractured left thumb after 62 games, going 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. George Springer also homered, while Cody Bellinger hit his 10th home run for the Yankees, who saw their four-game winning streak end.

Trey Yesavage (3-3) earned the win, allowing five runs and four hits in five-plus innings, while Louis Varland recorded his 12th save in 12 chances. The Blue Jays improved to 12-6 when hitting two or more home runs.

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