‘One of the Planet's Most Prolific Power Hitters’: Munetaka Murakami Signs $34M Deal with White Sox
Japanese power hitter Munetaka Murakami has signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. We break down his potential impact, the risks, and what this deal means.
The Chicago White Sox have officially landed their power-hitting prize. Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, 25, was introduced to the media at Rate Field on Monday after agreeing to a $34 million, two-year contract. White Sox general manager Chris Getz didn't mince words, calling Murakami "one of the most prolific power hitters on the planet" and expecting him to make a quick and significant impact on the rebuilding team.
The deal, agreed to on Sunday, marks a major move for a White Sox team that finished last in the AL Central in 2025 with a 60-102 record. Murakami brings a formidable track record from Japan's Central League, where he posted a .270 career average with 246 homers over eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows.
[Number Highlight] The Contract Breakdown: - Total Value: $34 million over 2 years - Signing Bonus: $1 million - 2026 Salary: $16 million - 2027 Salary: $17 million - Posting Fee to Yakult: $6.575 million
Murakami’s peak performance came in 2022, when he shattered Sadaharu Oh’s single-season record for a Japanese-born player with 56 home runs, becoming the youngest player to win Japan's Triple Crown. An oblique injury limited him in 2023, where his production dropped to 24 homers in 56 games, but he says he's now fully recovered and ready for major league pitching.
The biggest question mark surrounding the 6-foot-2 slugger is his strikeout rate. In Japan, he struck out in over a quarter (25.84%) of his plate appearances. However, GM Chris Getz sees it as part of the package for an elite power hitter.
[Quote Highlight] "Oftentimes swing-and-miss comes with a lot of the power. But what makes Munie so attractive to us is this power output. We’re talking about a guy that has some real, real firepower." - Chris Getz, White Sox GM
Speaking through a translator, Murakami emphasized his focus on team contribution over personal statistics. “I’m not really looking at this from a numbers standpoint,” he said. “I really want to compete every day and face challenges. If I'm contributing to the team every night... I feel that's a success.” He added that he's been relentlessly working to adapt his swing for the velocity and variety of pitches he'll face in the U.S.
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