Remember when nobody wanted Munetaka Murakami? The Japanese slugger was the most sought-after foreign free agent, then statistics came out that he couldn’t hit velocity, and he had to settle for a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox. Well, Murakami is proving just about everyone wrong, and currently is tied with Yordan Alvarez for the major league lead in homers with 11. Oh,...
Japanese first baseman Munetaka Murakami has reportedly signed with the Chicago White Sox. First reported by Japan’s MLB.com outlet, Murakami is signing for two years and $34 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan confirmed that Murakami will be playing first base for the rebuilding White Sox. Murakami has put up sensational numbers in the Japanese league. Across eight NPB seasons he has...
Munetaka Murakami Position(s): 3B/1B B/T: L/R Age: 25 (02/02/2000) 2025 Traditional Stats (Central League): 56 G, 224 PA, .273/.379/.663/1.043, 51 H, 7 2B, 22 HR, 47 RBI, 32 BB, 64 SO 2025 Advanced Stats (Central League): 210 wRC+, 14.3% BB%, 28.6% K%, .279 BABIP, .462 wOBA Rundown The arrival of Munetaka Murakami to Major League Baseball through the posting system marks one of the most...
Good morning, Mets fans! Juan Soto made a surprise visit to an Amazin’ Mets Foundation event at the Mets Academy in the Dominican Republic, offering new equipment to over 40 local baseball and softball teams. Soto spent time meeting with and taking pictures with boys and girls from these teams, making an impact in the community he’s from. Soto’s love for his home country runs...
With free agency officially underway, MLB Trade Rumors has released their contract projections for the top 50 players in this year’s class. The site’s panel of four writers, which includes Tim Dierkes, Anthony Franco, Darragh McDonald and Steve Adams, all predicted which team would end up signing every player on the list as well. Of the three players who received multiple predictions...
Shohei Ohtani. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Roki Sasaki. This isn’t just a list of Dodgers players, but recent marquee Japanese players who came over after playing in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Before these players, there was never a real overseas class of players from Japan who might be posted during the offseason, until now. Munetaka Murakami, Tatsuya Imai and Kazuma Okamoto headline a...
Munetaka Murakami is expected to be posted this offseason, and according to Mark Feinsand, the Mets are among the teams to make a “big push” for the slugger. The 25-year-old lefty from Japan is among the best hitters to ever be posted — and would be a massive add for whatever team wins the sweepstakes. Murakami has clubbed 246 homers in 892 games in Japan, including an...
Munetaka Murakami, a 25-year-old Japanese slugger who could be posted this offseason, hit a walk-off homer to center field Tuesday with David Stearns on hand. Murakami averaged 37 homers in six seasons (2019-2024) for the Yakult Swallows of the Japan Central League, including a career-best 56 in 2022 when he slashed .318/.458/.710 and drove in 134 runs in 141 games. In 26 games this season, he...
Good morning, Mets fans! Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami said Sunday that 2025 will be his last season playing in Japan. The 24-year-old recently re-signed with the Yakult Swallows for ¥600 million ($4 million USD). Murakami won the NPB Triple Crown and Central League MVP as a 22-year-old in 2022, clubbing 56 homers with a 1.168 OPS. In 2024, he batted .244/.379/.472 with 33 homers, though he...
