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Red Sox Beat Jays; Okamoto Sets Japanese Rookie HR Record

7/25/2026

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Summary

Okamoto Sets Record

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 at Fenway Park on July 24, 2026.
Kazuma Okamoto hit a three-run, 23rd homer, setting a Japanese-rookie record that surpasses Shohei Ohtani’s 22 in 2018.
Toronto fell to 47-57, ten games under .500, with a 7.2 percent playoff chance and no realistic path to .500 before the deadline.

Summary

Tracy Stresses Identity

Chad Tracy said the Red Sox must “play baseball that way,” emphasizing identity over streak length.
Despite a 13-game slump (.180 average, nine hits in 50 at-bats), Tracy kept Anthony Seigler leadoff for his strike-zone discipline.
Boston added Ceddanne Rafaela and Andruw Monasterio to the lineup as it pushes for a playoff spot despite recent offensive inconsistency.

History

Historical Context

Boston’s 2004 season, managed by Terry Francona, ended an 86-year championship drought when the Red Sox rallied from a 3-0 ALCS deficit against the New York Yankees and won the World Series with a 98-64 record. Today, Kazuma Okamoto’s record-breaking 23rd homer fuels a similar late-season surge as Boston pushes for a playoff spot.

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Okamoto Sets Record

The Boston Red Sox defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 at Fenway Park on July 24, 2026.
Kazuma Okamoto hit a three-run, 23rd homer, setting a Japanese-rookie record that surpasses Shohei Ohtani’s 22 in 2018.
Toronto fell to 47-57, ten games under .500, with a 7.2 percent playoff chance and no realistic path to .500 before the deadline.

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