Blue Jays 7, Twins 3: Kazuma Okamoto Homers Twice in Minnesota

The lead

May 1, 2026 - Minneapolis - The Toronto Blue Jays took the opener of a four-game set 7-3 over the Minnesota Twins behind Kazuma Okamoto's two-homer night and Yohendrick Pinango's repeated run production.

Okamoto cleared the wall in the fourth for a solo shot and struck again in the fifth with a two-run homer, half of his hits during an eight-game stretch that MLB.com framed as heavily powered. Yohendrick Pinango plated runs with an RBI single in the fourth, a leaping grab in the fifth for defense, and a second RBI single in the seventh. Byron Buxton answered for Minnesota with a two-run homer in the third before Toronto rebuilt separation.

How the game turned

Toronto scratched two runs in the second on a fielder's choice and an error on Simeon Woods Richardson before Okamoto arrived as the hammer. Buxton's homer briefly knotted the mood 2-2, but Okamoto and Pinango rebuilt the lead across the fourth and fifth until the Twins were chasing again.

Patrick Corbin navigated traffic after Buxton's swing, including a strikeout of Ryan Jeffers in the third on MLB.com's reel. Louis Varland still had to finish the ninth with Jeffers at the plate as Minnesota searched for late magic.

Pitching and matchup notes

Woods Richardson took the hard assignment once Okamoto found his timing. Corbin's night included multiple punchouts in highlight form and enough sequencing to let the offense widen the gap. Jeff Hoffman bridged before Varland closed the door in the final clip.

The Twins' late run came on Jeffers' sacrifice fly in the seventh, trimming the gap without erasing the earlier damage.

Bats that changed the board

Okamoto's multi-homer performance continued a hot stretch MLB.com tied to a .296 average over his prior eight games with half of his hits leaving the yard. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. flashed leather along the netting to rob Josh Bell in the fourth as Toronto blended power with defense.

Buxton's homer kept Minnesota within striking distance for a moment, but Toronto's middle innings refused to stall.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

The Blue Jays ranked fifth on the May 1 AthX Engine team board with 14 team FP. Kazuma Okamoto led all hitters that night with 15 AthX Engine hitting FP after the two long balls in daily scoring.

Power stacks from the same lineup often vault a club into the top five on team fantasy totals even when the run total stops short of double digits. AthX Engine daily scoring is separate from dynamic pricing.

What comes next

Toronto carried a road win deeper into a long series while Minnesota regrouped after another home night that turned on opponent power. Okamoto and Pinango are the offensive pair to track entering Saturday's rematch.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB Gameday, MLB.com game story, ESPN, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*