Can the White Sox sign Munetaka Murakami?

Chicago is getting linked more closely to the free-agent Japanese slugger

by Todd.Welter

Dec 20, 2025, 2:01 PM CST

he possibility of the White Sox signing Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami is picking up momentum.

When Murakami was posted, the White Sox were not among the teams mentioned as a possible landing spot for the “Japanese Babe Ruth.” The belief was that he would prefer to sign with a contender, and he would command a deal that could reach as rich as $225 million.

That type of deal easily would have made him too expensive for Chicago since this organization has yet to hand out a contract of even $100 million — the going rate for premium talent.

There are indications that his Murakami’s price is coming down. That could provide an opening for the White Sox to swoop in and sign a power-hitting corner infielder this rebuild desperately needs.

Murakami potentially signing with the Pale Hose originated as a suggestion by former baseball executives Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM:

It then moved to a prediction by ESPN’s David Schoenfield when he figured the White Sox have the payroll space to fit Murakami’s bat into the lineup. He also cited ESPN’s projected affordable price of five years, $80 million, as why the South Siders could easily afford him.

Murakami’s deadline to sign is Dec. 22, so we’re running out of time. His market still seems wide open. The Phillies could also be an interesting fit, or maybe the Los Angeles Angels want to do something. Indeed, if any of these top 10 free agents land in a surprising spot, Murakami might be the one. The White Sox have money to spend — their current estimated payroll is just $68 million and that includes $20 million for Luis Robert Jr., who might be traded. They have a desperate need for power and Murakami fits at either third or first, depending on where Miguel Vargas ends up. This would be a nice roll of the dice for a White Sox team that looks to be on the rise.

Now, you have local verification that Murakami to the White Sox goes beyond just a mere suggestion or a guess from the national media: 670 theScore’s baseball insider Bruce Levine revealed on his Saturday morning radio show that the White Sox should not be ruled out for Murakami’s services.

If the White Sox can pull off this stunning signing, it would be a massive move forward for the rebuild. It would easily make up for an offseason of minor additions when the market had potential rebuild-accelerating options. The front office never made any effort to enter the Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber market; imagine either of those two at Guaranteed Rate field hitting home runs.

The Sox can still get that type of power — if they can add Murakami.

One baseball executive believes Murakami has 90-grade raw power. That is off the charts, given that the scout rating scale only goes up to 80. Murakami set the Nippon Professional Baseball single-season record for home runs with 56 in 2022. He also had a .710 slugging percentage for the Yakult Swallows that year.

An injury in 2025 limited him to just 56 games, and he still crushed 22 dingers. That would have tied him with Lenyn Sosa for the White Sox team lead. Murakami has a career .951 OPS in eight NPB seasons.

This could also open Japan back up to the White Sox as a talent pipeline. They’ve used it in the past, bringing over veteran closer Shingo Takatsu and even more notably to get World Series hero Tadahito Iguchi, but the organization has abandoned the Pacific Rim since then. Japan is still a great talent market to acquire plug-and-play guys. That is why it is important to tap back into that area to find roster upgrades.

Murakami would be more than an upgrade. He could potentially be this rebuild’s version of José Abreu. He is an accomplished international star player and would be joining the organization during his peak performance years because he will be just 26 next season.

The major concern with his game is his ability to make contact against MLB pitching. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand sums up the flaws that are causing teams to be hesitant in making a huge financial commitment to a player who has never stepped into an MLB batter’s box:

If there’s a potential red flag for major league teams, it’s Murakami’s strikeout rate, which has risen significantly over the past three seasons. He whiffed in more than 30 percent of his at-bats during his first two seasons, but he lowered that rate between 20.9 and 22.3 percent from 2020-22. The past three seasons, that rate has increased again between 28.1 and 29.5 percent, including 180 strikeouts in 610 plate appearances in 2024.

Also of concern is Murakami’s walk rate, which has dipped from a career-high 19.3 percent in his monster 2022 season to 14.3 percent this past year. Murakami owns a .394 career on-base percentage, though it has decreased into the .370s in each of the past three seasons after he posted numbers between .408 and .458 from 2020-22.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz keeps touting that this organization can afford to give talented (but flawed) players a runway. Wins and losses still will not matter in 2026, so the franchise can easily afford Murakami a stress-free environment to adapt to the big-league game.

That is why if the price to sign him is around $80 million or less, the South Siders should take the gamble. The payoff could be having another potential MVP bat in the lineup through the rest of the decade.

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The White Sox have money to spend — their current estimated payroll is just $68 million and that includes $20 million for Luis Robert Jr., who might be traded.

When I do my "surfing", I occasionally drop by to checkout what our old buddy, Dennis, has to say.

On Thursday he had this to say:

So, I would trade for Willson Contreras and Luis Robert Jr. and call it an off-season.

Wouldn't that turn out to be prophetic?

Well, financially, it appears that the Sox can squeeze him into the payroll. I guess Murakami to the South Side is beyond the realm of possibility.Ma

[Maybe the Guards should enter the sweepstakes at that price]

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Japanese slugger Murakami agrees to 2-year, $34 million deal with White Sox

CHICAGO -- It takes a deal of great significance to carve out Windy City headline space next to a walk-off Bears win over the Packers. But the White Sox accomplished that feat Sunday, agreeing to terms on a two-year, $34 million deal with Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami, the club announced.

Murakami will be eligible for free agency, not arbitration, after the 2027 season. He will wear No. 5 with the White Sox. The White Sox will hold a news conference on Monday at 11 a.m. CT to introduce Murakami.

Murakami’s posting period began on Nov. 7 and the 45-day negotiating window gave all 30 teams a chance to speak with the 25-year-old talent, with a deadline to sign of 5 p.m. ET/4 CT on Monday.

Murakami won back-to-back MVP Awards in NPB in 2021 and '22, and he was a four-time All-Star and the ‘19 Central League Rookie of the Year. He led the Swallows to an NPB championship in ‘21.

Not to mention, Murakami's 2022 season is one of the greatest all-around hitting seasons -- but especially power-hitting seasons -- in baseball history.

That year, a 22-year-old Murakami crushed 56 home runs -- breaking the legendary Sadaharu Oh's single-season NPB record for the most home runs by a Japanese-born player. He also won a batting Triple Crown, with a .318 batting average, those 56 homers and 134 RBIs, and his left-handed power is something the White Sox needed.

Murakami also brings the White Sox back into this particular sector of the international market, where they have been successful before, but not recently. Second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and closer Shingo Takatsu contributed to the team’s 2005 World Series victory.

The White Sox are coming off three straight 100-loss seasons, but they moved in the right direction with a more productive showing after last season’s All-Star break. The White Sox also have the top pick in the 2026 Draft, as secured through the Draft Lottery.

Murakami joins a burgeoning young core featuring shortstop Colson Montgomery, second baseman Chase Meidroth, catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, and right-handed hurlers Shane Smith and Grant Taylor, to name a few already at the big league level.

Murakami posted a career slash line of .273/.394/.550 with 265 home runs, 170 doubles, 722 RBIs and 678 walks against 1,068 strikeouts over 1,003 games and 4,246 plate appearances.

Murakami will begin his MLB career coming off a 2025 season in which he was limited to 56 games due to an oblique injury. But once he returned, he looked the best he had since that historic 2022 season. Murakami slugged 22 home runs in those 56 games -- an even higher home run pace than in 2022 -- while batting .273 with a .663 slugging percentage and 1.043 OPS.

His high ceiling as a superstar lefty slugger made Murakami one of the most anticipated free agents on the market this winter. But he was also one of the most polarizing.

That's because Murakami's strikeout totals and swing-and-miss rates have spiked since his monster 2022 season, while his walk rates and on-base percentage have declined, sparking concerns about his ability to make enough contact in the Major Leagues to take advantage of his tremendous power. Murakami in particular had issues against the higher-velocity fastballs and the wipeout breaking and offspeed pitches he’ll see more of in MLB.

There are also some questions about Murakami's defense. Murakami played both corner infield positions in Japan -- mainly third base, but also first base -- but he might spend more time at DH in the Majors. But elite young international power bats with Murakami's upside don't come around all that often.

Murakami did have some big moments against MLB pitching in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he helped lead Japan to a gold medal. In the championship game against the U.S., Murakami crushed a 115.1 mph, 432-foot home run off then-D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly. He also ripped a 111.0 mph walk-off double off the wall against then-Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos to complete Japan's comeback win over Mexico in the semifinals.

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The Guardians Are Gaslighting Fans

Calling it as I see it

by Quincy Wheeler

Dec 21, 2025, 9:00 AM CST

The Guardians are communicating a consistent message about their plans to handle their offensive issues this offseason, and it’s problematic.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic is the latest person to share insights from the Guardians’ front office in an article:

“They… are reluctant to block opportunities for a number of younger hitters, some of whom already have reached the majors, others of whom are closing in. Now they want to see more of Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus in the outfield, and leave room for Juan Brito and Travis Bazzana to eventually join the infield. …the Guardians want to add a right-handed complement… they were willing to offer [Lane Thomas] at-bats only on the short-side of the platoon.”

The Guardians need to stop gaslighting their fans and simply admit that they are not going to spend money to improve their hitting group. The team had the third lowest wRC+ in MLB in 2025 at 87. Their plan is that their young hitters will fix this… despite both President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti and General Manager Mike Chernoff repeatedly telling fans asking to see young players like Chase DeLauter in the big leagues that young players often have to come up and experience failure and be sent back down to adjust, before they can be relied on to reliably produce.

Fans all know that the Guardians have some good depth for first base and right field in C.J. Kayfus, George Valera and Chase DeLauter. Potentially, also with Juan Brito who has played in both spots in the minors, as well as second base. They also know that George Valera and Chase DeLauter cannot, in any reasonable world, be seen as likely to be able to play a full season of games given their respective injury histories. If they do, awesome! But, it can’t be the primary plan for this team to get even 120 games from either player. So, Kayfus and Brito need to be seen as frontline options for right-field and, in Brito’s case, probably first base. The options in centerfield are Chase DeLauter, Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, Petey Halpin, Kahlil Watson and, maybe now, Stuart Fairchild who just accepted a minor-league deal.

To be honest, I have come to a place of acceptance in the outfield. If DeLauter can’t handle centerfield, as long as the team doesn’t care about being inept their against left-handed pitching, I think they can cobble something together there. It isn’t preferable, it makes me sick to think about it, but I think Halpin can be a great defender and an average hitter against RHP, Angel Martinez can be an average hitter against LHP and perhaps not the worst centerfielder in baseball. That’s acceptable.

Where the Guardians are gaslighting fans is to think that bringing in a first baseman/DH to hit in the middle of this lineup would somehow block anyone meaningfully. They aren’t going to start Travis Bazzana on the team out of spring training, so Juan Brito has a spot at second base. It’s pretty unlikely that both Valera and DeLauter will be healthy out of spring training, so Kayfus is desperately needed as an option in right field. And, none of these player should be seen as immediate middle of the order threats in a lineup trying to win a World Series. I hope DeLauter, Kayfus, Valera and Brito ARE thumpers. But, again, as the team executives have repeatedly emphasized, we should feel very good if three of the four can even manage to be league average at-bats or a little better in their first years.

The team needs a proven, middle-of-the-order hitter who can play at first base and DH as needed. We all know Kyle Manzardo is a terrible defender at first base and gaining 14 pounds of muscle doesn’t seem likely to change the footwork he has that most closely resembles a giant toddler trying to play Dance, Dance Revolution. If he is willing to waive his no-trade clause, the Guardians could have Willson Contreras for this role for basically the price of his contract (2 years at $18M). They could sign a Ryan O’Hearn. They could even potentially pry Yandy Diaz away from a Rays’ team seemingly willing to sell on any players making any money. In any of these three cases, they would provide a veteran presence who can comfortably hit in the middle of a playoff lineup.

[Second time in 2 days Contreras has been mentioned - yesterday by a guy name Dennis]

[ or.....how about Munetaka Murakami ?? ]

The reason the Guardians won’t do it isn’t because they are afraid of blocking C.J. Kayfus. The Guardians know that Kayfus is no sure thing at the plate, and they know they’re probably going to need him in right field (even Rosenthal’s piece indicates as much). The reason they won’t do it isn’t because they are afraid of blocking Juan Brito. They’ll play Brito at second base until Bazzana is ready and then move him to a IF/OF role where he sees regular time, especially against LHP, as needed. The reason they won’t do it isn’t because they believe David Fry is the 130 wRC+ hitter he was from 2023-June 2024 not the 79 wRC+ hitter he has been since July 2024.

The reason the Guardians have changed their tune from end of the year meetings where they spoke openly about the need to upgrade their lineup is because their ownership doesn’t want them to spend money. The front office has a very limited budget to use, as Rosenthal indicates, so they are going to go full-on youth movement and allow some room to upgrade in July as need be. They can feel free to prove me wrong about this, but I can get the message, and I can see through the gaslighting. I’m not an idiot.

If the Guardians want to make me a very happy idiot, however, they can call up the Cardinals and say, ‘We are happy to take on Willson Contreras’s contract, and even through in a Single-A prospect you like.“ They, then, demonstrate to Jose Ramirez, their fans and their coaches that they understood the assignment - give the middle of this lineup a legitimate threat and make it so Kyle Manzardo doesn’t have to do his dance routine in 150 games at first base. It’s real simple - all it takes is money.

Kwan LF
DeLauter CF
Jose 3B
Munetaka Murakami 1B - the perfect fit!
Manzardo DH
Valera or Kayfus and Fry RF
Brito 2B
Bo C
Rocchio SS
Bench: Angel Martinez, OF, Schneemann or Arias IF, Hedges C.

That’s it. That is a lineup that isn’t held together by prayers and some plastic ties. Not a hard ask.

I want to end by acknowledging that in September, during their magical run to a division title, the Guardians made it all the way up to TWELFTH in MLB for the month at 101 wRC+. A 101 wRC+ as a team is probably going to be enough to win the AL Central for the Guardians if they get their usual production from pitching, the way things are going for their foes this offseason. Maybe the Guardians front office legitimately thinks their offense with full doses of their young players is more of a 101 wRC+. But, let’s still be clear - the only reason dthey aren’t raising that floor with a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter addition is because they do not have the authority to spend that money. We know it, they know it, and I’m done pretending otherwise.

[ Was Chicago the ONLY landing spot for Murakam?? I hope Murakami's decision has always been Chicago because if the Guardians didn't put in an offer, I would be pi$$ed??? ]

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The White Sox Make a Statement Move, Sign Munetaka Murakami

The Chicago White Sox pulled off a stunner on Sunday morning, signing slugger Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract.


By Clay Snowden
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December 21, 2025

In what is the biggest surprise of the offseason so far, the Chicago White Sox ink Japanese infielder Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million deal, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. A deal that no one expected, probably not even Murakami himself.

Murakami is only 25 years old and comes stateside with 246 home runs across eight seasons in NPB. Considering his age and mammoth power, his name started to swirl as the next big international free agent as far back as a year ago — a title that usually is not associated with the White Sox.

The early projections had Murakami landing somewhere around a five-year deal, similar to those that we have seen top international free agents ink. Clearly the market was much cooler than many anticipated.

As time creeped closer and closer to Murakami’s Monday 5:00 PM deadline to sign, the quieter the noise became around his potential suitors.

Murakami’s free agency is one of the more confusing and bizarre international cases we have seen recently. The power is undeniable and potentially changes the entire outlook of a lineup, but so are the red flags.

Issues surrounding his swing-and-miss combined with his defensive limitations were massive red flags and obviously caused teams to avoid committing the type of term, and money, that many thought Murakami would land.

I’m sure when Murakami decided to come overseas and join a major-league team, the White Sox were not at the top of his list. Although, in some ways, it feels like the perfect fit.






Why the White Sox Make Sense For Murakami

Chicago is coming off another rebuilding year where they finally started to see some of their new wave of prospects makes a splash. Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery, Edgar Quero, and Miguel Vargas all showed enough potential that you can squint and see a reasonable path forward.

Adding Murakami gives Chicago another young bat with upside and a runway to figure out MLB pitching without the same pressure he would have felt if he signed with a contender.

I think we will see some early struggles as he adjust to MLB velocity and the rigors of jumping from a 143 game season to a 162 game major-league schedule. And you know what, that’s okay. Chicago is not projected to be pushing for a playoff spot but instead starting their climb out of the basement of the AL Central.

A number of the possible contenders that could have used Murakami would have had to force him into their lineup at third base where his defense would have only forced more pressure on his bat to perform. Not Chicago. As part of Passan’s report, Murakami will be playing first base, a position that does not come with the same demands as third.

Murakami now gets to join a young team with much less pressure, play first base, and get everyday at-bats. The White Sox land a high-upside player that improves their team without having to pay a ridiculous price or commit term that could ultimately burn them. That’s an important piece for a team that operates on a tight budget.

Chicago now rolls into 2026 with an infield of Murakami, Montgomery, Meidroth, and Vargas, which is a young and exciting group that can grow together and carve out their own identity.

Murakami’s Contract Breakdown

A few months back, the idea of Murakami signing a two-year deal felt difficult to believe. Changing continents without a larger commitment is a risky move, but a necessary one. Bottom line, the questions around his limitations were too large, and a prove-it deal was a reasonable step to take.

Let’s say it all works out and Murakami adjust to major-league pitching, establishes his power, and looks like a plus major leaguer. Suddenly, teams would be far more interested in shelling out the money and term it would take to lock him up long term.

If the White Sox are not quite ready to make that next commitment, there’s a path where he becomes a trade asset at the deadline not this season, but in 2027. Chicago essentially accepts his growing pains in exchange for more prospect capital to boost their system as the team enters a more competitive window.

For Murakami, he gets to spend two seasons adjusting and once again hit the open market with enough of a sample size to show teams what he is as a player while also only being 27 years old. Players of that age hitting the open market, who have also performed, land big money and term that provides security into your thirties.

What if it does not work out? Well, what do the White Sox really lose? Considering where they currently stand the only free-agent options were going to be bounce-back candidates or veterans hanging on at the end of their career. If Murakami does not hit, he could pivot and return to Japan at 27 years old and go back to chasing records in NPB.

Instead of going down that path they made a move that injects some enthusiasm into the fanbase which was desperately needed. For the first time in years, Chicago has given their fans a reason to celebrate, which is not nothing.

Final Thoughts

As odd as the move initially felt, I like the move the more I think about it. It’s a win-win that doesn’t tie anyone down long term, keeps options open, improves a team, and gives a player a low-pressure situation to find his footing and prove his worth.

This move also speaks volumes to how the league views Murakami. Committing $34 million to a player with his upside is not as much the problem as committing the playing time and likely learning curve that comes with the signing.

In the end, Chicago saw an opportunity to take a swing and they made contact. Now, we see if Murakami can do the same.

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Reds in trade talks with the White Sox about Luis Robert Jr.

Doug Gray 12/21/2025

The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox are engaged in trade talks around Chicago outfielder Luis Robert according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Cincinnati has been rumored to be interested in Robert in the past but the deal never got done.

Back in 2021 Luis Robert had a breakout half-season where he hit .338/.378/.567 in 68 games for the White Sox . The next year his OPS dropped 200 points, but he was still good in his 98 games played. In 2023 he was able to play all season long and in 145 games he hit 38 home runs, stole 20 bases, and had a .264/.315/.542 line and made his first All-Star team.

Since then he’s fallen off a cliff in the production department. He’s played in 100 and 110 games in each of the last two seasons and he’s hit 14 home runs in each of those years. In both seasons he hit under .225, had an on-base percentage under .300, and a slugging percentage under .380. He has stolen 23 and 33 bases – both setting a new career high at the time. You can check out his career stats here.

Despite the big time struggles at the plate in the past two seasons, the White Sox picked up their $20,000,000 option on Robert following the year. Rather than pay him $2,000,000 for the buy out they seem to be hoping to find a trade partner that will offer them something of value worth more than that to bring in the outfielder.

With Robert you don’t have to squint hard to see the upside. He’s hit 38 home runs and stolen 33 bases in a single season over the last three years. He’s been a quality defender in center. But while you can squint and see it you also can’t ignore that he has flat out not hit for two straight seasons and is owed $22,000,000 (he has a $20,000,000 option for 2027 that includes a $2,000,000 buyout).

If Chicago takes on some of the money owed perhaps the Reds would be more willing to take a chance that they can “fix” Luis Robert and he can be a staple in their lineup. But they would also be risking adding another bat to their lineup with the potential to be an automatic out to a lineup that simply has had far too many of them.

[ Second day in a row I'm hearing trade talks regarding Luis Robert - the first was by a guy named Dennis. Maybe he's on to something?? I was on the Robert bandwagon before he signed a major league contract. Denis has convinced me. Trade for Contreras and Robert and call it a Winter ]

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Hey Joe, there has been talk about Roberts being traded since mid season. Do you know why ? He is an under achieving malcontent lazy player ! If that is a surprise to you than I suggest you start watching his games.