In a move that has sent shockwaves through the baseball world, Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami has agreed to a major league deal with the Chicago White Sox, bypassing wealthier suitors to join the club's ambitious rebuild.
A Surprise Destination for a Japanese Icon
Three years after shattering one of Japan's most hallowed home run records, the powerhouse corner infielder is finally making his anticipated move to Major League Baseball. However, his choice of team has stunned fans and pundits alike. Rather than signing with a big-market contender like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Murakami has inked a two-year contract worth $34 million with the Chicago White Sox, a team deep in a reconstruction phase.
The agreement comes hot on the heels of the White Sox winning MLB's Draft Lottery, securing them the first overall pick in 2026. This one-two punch of future promise and immediate star power has ignited optimism on the South Side. "The #1 pick and Murakami within the span of like 2 weeks," one elated fan posted on X. "Who has it better than us?" Some even credited a higher power—Pope Leo XIV, a noted White Sox supporter from the Chicago area—with the sudden fortune.
Contract Details and Career Profile
Murakami, who turns 26 on February 2, will receive a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $16 million in 2025 and $17 million in 2026. His 2027 salary includes escalators for award wins, including a $1 million bonus for an MVP award. The contract forbids a minor league assignment without his consent and grants him free agency at its conclusion. The White Sox will also provide an interpreter and cover flights between Japan and the U.S.
As part of the posting system, Chicago will pay a fee of $6,575,000 to the Yakult Swallows, Murakami's former team in Japan's Central League. The Swallows are also due 15% of any contract escalators he earns.
The left-handed hitter is a two-time Central League MVP (2021, 2022) and a World Baseball Classic hero. His crowning achievement came in 2022 when he blasted 56 home runs to break Sadaharu Oh's single-season record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball, simultaneously becoming the youngest ever to win Japan's Triple Crown. Over eight seasons with Yakult, he compiled a .270 average with 246 homers and 647 RBIs.
Questions and Fit on the South Side
Despite his prodigious power, some concerns accompany Murakami's transition. His strikeout rate sits near 30%, exceptionally high for the Japanese league, and his walk rate declined in recent seasons. Analysts also note his struggles against high-velocity fastballs, a potential challenge against MLB pitching that averages around 95mph.
He joins a promising young core in Chicago that includes prospects like Colson Montgomery and Kyle Teel. The White Sox, who finished last in the AL Central with a 60-102 record in 2024, view him as a cornerstone for their future. Murakami, who has played mostly third base in recent years, is scheduled to be formally introduced at a press conference on Monday.
He will become the fourth Japanese-born player to wear a White Sox uniform, following Shingo Takatsu (who once managed him in Japan), Tadahito Iguchi, and Kosuke Fukudome. For long-suffering fans, his arrival, coupled with the future draft capital, signals a bright new dawn on the South Side.
