Japanese Slugger Munetaka Murakami Signing 2-Year Deal with White Sox

Munetaka Murakami hit 36 homers as a 19-year-old in 2019, then set the NPB single-season record with 56 dingers three years later. Contract projections ranged as high as $180 million over eight years, and even the most conservative estimate had him earning $80 million for five years. But as concerns over his defense and whiff rate overcame the desire for what at least one exec believes is 90-grade power — which is to say Kyle Schwarber levels — Murakami’s market cratered.

That’s why, rather than heading back to Japan, he settled for a deal with the White Sox for $34 million over two years. Jeff Passan was first to report the agreement, which is a tremendous coup for the South Side. At just 25 years old, Murakami gets the chance to prove himself and earn a much bigger payday at an age when most players are getting their first crack at free agency. The Sox get a potential superstar at an incredibly steep discount that ensures they won’t be hamstrung even if the worst-case scenario materializes.

Whether he’s playing third or first, the lefty-batting Murakami brings elite exit velocity to the heart of an order brimming with you talent. And with the No. 1 overall pick in next summer’s draft, the Sox can keep adding impact talent. I’ve been pretty critical of the way they’ve been running things on the South Side, but this has the makings of a rebirth that should be highly entertaining. Of course, many of us thought that same thing 10 years ago.

Either way, this is a great move for the White Sox and it’s something I honestly wish the Cubs would have gotten in on given the reduced cost and minimal risk.