The post White Sox sign Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami appeared first on Sox On 35th.
Chris Getz committed to improving the White Sox’ standing in the Japanese free agent market during his tenure as general manager. Today, he showed the fruits of that labor.
The White Sox shocked much of the baseball world, signing Japanese star Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34M contract, beating out the likes of the Pirates, Mets, Blue Jays, and Padres in doing so. The South Siders became aggressive suitors late in the negotiation process, and now, the deal has been made official before the December 22nd deadline outlined by Japanese Free Agency posting rules.
Murakami, 26, comes to the United States and Major League Baseball after eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Yakult Swallows of the Japan Central League. In those eight seasons, Murakami established himself as a star, hitting .270/.394/.557 with 246 home runs across nearly 900 games. His best season came in 2022, at the age of 22, when he hit .318/.458/.710. In that same season, he hit 56 home runs in 141 games, breaking the record for most home runs hit in an NPB season by a Japanese-born player, which was set in 1964 by Sadaharu Oh. Murakami had been rumored to be preparing to come to the United States since his record-breaking season in 2022. His contract expired following his 2025 season.
Murakami battled an oblique injury for much of the 2025 season, which limited him to just 56 games. However, even in his limited action, he still put up a .273/.379/.663 slash line.
While this will be Murakami’s first major league action, this will not be his first action against non-Japanese competition. The slugger also appeared in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, hitting a walk-off two-run double in the semifinal against Mexico and a crucial game-tying home run in the final against the United States, helping Japan ultimately capture the WBC Championship.
While all the talk of this move has been positive to this point, it doesn’t come without its questions. Of course, Japanese Baseball and the major leagues do not share a direct correlation – success internationally doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in MLB. He has also seen his strikeout rate rise over the past three seasons, from around 20% in his record-breaking season to 29% in recent seasons, which may not bode well in the big leagues. There have been conflicting reports about Murakami’s ability to handle higher-level velocity (95+ mph), though recent analysis suggests that these may be overblown.
Where Murakami fits on the diamond for the White Sox is also a question mark. While the star has spent most of his career as a third baseman in Japan, there are conflicting reports about his ability to stick at third base at the big league level. Most teams ultimately viewed him as a first baseman or designated hitter during this negotiation process, which is another part of why he didn’t get the long-term contract that he was projected to get. This complicates the White Sox’ defensive situation, particularly with Andrew Benintendi still on the payroll for another two seasons, while both Lenyn Sosa and Miguel Vargas did not show well defensively at third base last season. Perhaps the White Sox decide to experiment with Murakami at third base, or perhaps Andrew Benintendi is the next White Sox player to move to clear up space. Either way, this move will likely require some creativity on the White Sox’ part.
Editor’s Note: The White Sox are reportedly planning to play Murakami at first base, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan
Chris Getz will very likely address these and many other questions in Murakami’s introductory press conference, but at the end of the day, the rationale behind this move is simple: Murakami adds a power presence to a lineup that ranked 23rd in home runs and 27th in runs scored last season. His left-handed bat at Guaranteed Rate Field will help ensure some of his power translates to the big leagues. Perhaps most importantly, Murakami becomes a young star in a lineup that has quite a few players who might become stars of their own – Colson Montgomery, Edgar Quero, and Kyle Teel, to name a few – but don’t yet have the same name recognition. The White Sox will also likely see an increased interest from the Japanese community, which has always been incredibly invested in its players playing in the United States.
Most importantly, for now, White Sox fans should enjoy a clear attempt to improve this team for 2026 and beyond while taking a chance in a market they typically have not succeeded in. It’s unclear just how well Murakami will do in Major League Baseball, but the White Sox should be applauded for taking a calculated risk. With any luck, the White Sox will continue to add and turn this risk into a true reward on the field for their fans.
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Featured Image: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The post White Sox sign Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami appeared first on Sox On 35th.