CHICAGO — The signing of Munetaka Murakami, a slugging free-agent first baseman/third baseman from Japan, comes with a few concerns according to those who study his game.
There’s been talk of the swing-and-miss part of Murakami’s offensive attack, on pitches within the zone in particular. There have been discussions about his ability to manage higher velocity, frequently offered up by pitchers across Major League Baseball. And there are some questions about his consistent defensive abilities at first or third.
OK, maybe not in that exact sentiment. But adding Murakami is the perfect move at the right time for this current White Sox rebuild.
Over eight NPB seasons with the Yakult Swallows, Murakami hit 265 home runs and posted a slash line of .273/.394/.550. He hit 56 home runs over 141 games in ’22, becoming the youngest player in Nippon Professional Baseball history to win the Triple Crown at age 22.
Although the White Sox ranked eighth in Major League Baseball with 89 home runs after the All-Star break in ’25, they still finished 23rd with 165 long balls for the season. Murakami adds a true power bat, even with adjustments to the Major League game, from the left-handed side.
Murakami turns 26 on Feb. 2, so he can develop with this young core. He joins shortstop Colson Montgomery, who hit 21 home runs in 71 games last season to finish fifth in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting.
He joins catcher Kyle Teel, described as a special talent by general manager Chris Getz and manager Will Venable, and fellow catcher Edgar Quero. Let’s not forget Chase Meidroth at second, Miguel Vargas at third and pitchers Shane Smith and Grant Taylor.
Braden Montgomery, a switch-hitting outfielder who is the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 35 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and left-handers Noah Schultz (No. 2, No. 40) and Hagen Smith (No. 5, No. 88) should reach the Majors at some point in ’26. It’s an impressive group coming together, having begun to forge its collective identity, with Getz and his front office following a specific and detailed plan in building this organization.
“Our team has a lot of talent,” Teel told MLB.com prior to the Murakami signing. “We have a lot of young guys, and I see really great things for the future. I’m looking forward to camp and getting to meet the new guys on the team.
“As a season goes on, normally you would expect guys getting tired and guys having low energy. But I felt like as [last] season went on, as it got later, the energy in the clubhouse went up and everyone was having fun. It was just a great group of guys to be around.”
Kosuke Fukudome played 24 games for the 2012 White Sox. But aside from his brief appearance, the South Siders have not had a Japanese player in their lineup since second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and closer Shingo Takatsu helped the organization win the 2005 World Series title. Under the guidance of David Keller, the White Sox have moved back into this needed sector of the international market.
It’s a move featuring the possibility of putting more fans in the seats at Rate Field, where the White Sox have drawn 1,445,738 (’25), 1,380,773 (’24) and 1,669,628 (’23), respectively, in the past three years. Murakami also brings a greater level of international media coverage back to the South Side.
In looking at the big picture, the White Sox have been rebuilding for six of the past nine seasons. This current team might not be a playoff contender, although the American League Central lacks a true power at the top. But the organization needs to show its fans and its players a move away from this 100-loss miasma, and this team already has the makings of that move, with plenty of offseason to continue building.
Murakami also should benefit from this signing. He’ll have time to show his abilities without the immediate pressure of a team competing for a title and can become a free agent again after two seasons.
José Abreu joined the White Sox from Cuba prior to the 2014 season with similar hype, in a somewhat similar team situation, with a slightly bigger contract at six years, $68 million. All Abreu did was win the AL Rookie of the Year and become one of the best hitters in franchise history.
That sort of pressure won’t be on Murakami. But it’s a big move, nonetheless.
