‘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.
本コンテンツはAIが原文記事を基に要約・分析したものです。正確性に努めていますが、誤りがある可能性があります。原文の確認をお勧めします。
関連記事
日本の若きスラッガー、村上宗隆選手がシカゴ・ホワイトソックスと2年3400万ドルで契約。彼の圧倒的なパワーは、低迷するチームを救えるのか?契約詳細と挑戦の行方を分析します。
NBCの人気番組「レイト・ナイト・ウィズ・セス・マイヤーズ」が今週、クリスマス休暇のため再放送となります。激動の年となった米深夜番組の現状と、トランプ前大統領との対立の背景を解説します。
人気番組『ジミー・キンメル・ライブ!』が年末の放送を休止。2026年の新作放送までの再放送スケジュールと、司会者ジミー・キンメルが語った「困難な一年」の真相を解説します。
「ビッグブラザー」シーズン27に出演したミッキー・リーが、複数回の心停止により重体であることが判明。家族はGoFundMeを通じて医療費の支援を求めています。現在の容態と支援状況を詳しく解説。