Are the Blue Jays copying the Dodgers' championship formula? Reports say they have locked in two Japanese stars, one pitcher and one hitter!

Following their close defeat in last season's World Series, the MLB Toronto Blue Jays made significant roster upgrades during the offseason, initially securing powerful Japanese hitter Kazuma Okamoto with a four-year, $60 million contract. Currently, reports indicate the team has set its sights on "two Japanese stars" as part of their long-term plans.

In addition to signing Okamoto, the Blue Jays inked top free-agent starting pitcher Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million deal, and also brought in Cody Ponce, the newly crowned KBO MVP and Choi Dong-won Award winner, on a three-year, $30 million contract, boosting their strength to rival the "cosmic Dodgers."

According to East Japan Sports, the Blue Jays have begun proactive scouting of Japanese players who might come to the U.S., specifically naming two Nippon Professional Baseball stars — Daiki Ito, the new Sawamura Award winner from the Nippon Ham Fighters, and Teruaki Sato, the newly crowned Central League MVP from the Hanshin Tigers.

The "Ham Fighters ace" Daiki Ito started 27 games last season, recording a 14-8 win-loss record, pitching 196.2 innings with 195 strikeouts and a 2.52 ERA; the "Hanshin heavy hitter" Teruaki Sato played 139 games, hitting 40 home runs with a .277 batting average. Both are strong candidates to represent Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC).