Slugging Japanese first baseman/third baseman Munetaka Murakami will be posted by the Yakult Swallows on Friday, per multiple reports.
Murakami's negotiating window for MLB clubs will open on Saturday, meaning he has until Dec. 22 to sign.
Murakami has been a star for the Swallows over the past eight seasons, taking home a pair of MVP awards while popping 246 home runs, 165 doubles, and 681 RBI.
Twenty-two of those long balls came in an injury-riddled campaign this past season.
His biggest power display came in 2022, when he hit 56 homers and drove in 134 runs.
The 25-year-old mainly plays the hot corner, but he’s also spent time at first base and DH.
For the Mets, Murakami presents an intriguing option for David Stearns to consider if slugger Pete Alonso were to leave in free agency after opting out of his deal with the club.
Stearns went to Japan to watch one of Murakami’s games earlier this year, and he launched a grand slam.
The Yankees, on the other hand, aren’t exactly a smooth fit at the moment, but Murakami's powerful swing from the left side certainly would be well suited for the short porch in the Bronx.
