One Boston Red Sox player’s future role with the team is in doubt with their reported interest in Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami.
Murakami is set to be posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows on Saturday, which stands out for the Red Sox as MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand stated that Boston is one of the teams “expected to have interest” in Murakami.
“The countdown for Munetaka Murakami’s move to the Majors is officially underway,” Feinsand wrote Friday morning. “All 30 Major League clubs will be informed on Friday that Murakami has been posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with his official negotiating window set to open on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. ET. Murakami will have until 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 22 to agree to a deal with a big league team.
“The Yankees, Mets, Mariners, Phillies, Giants and Red Sox are among the clubs expected to have interest in Murakami, one of two Japanese sluggers expected to make the move to the majors this winter. Kazuma Okamoto of the Yomiuri Giants, a six-time All-Star and three-time home run champion in Japan, is also likely to be posted. The Red Sox could use Murakami at first base, or if Alex Bregman signs elsewhere, they would have a vacancy at third base.”
Boston’s interest in the Murakami could be bad news for fan-favorite first baseman Triston Casas. Casas excelled in 2023 when he nearly won the American League Rookie of the Year Award, but he has struggled ever since. The 25-year-old missed the majority of each of the past two seasons, and in his limited action this season, he only slashed .182/.277/.303 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.
Boston’s faith in Casas as its long-term solution at first base is likely shaken, and Murakami presents a solid option to add more power to the team’s lineup. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound slugger hit 246 home runs in 892 games and spent time at third base and first base. Like Casas, the Japanese slugger is only 25 years old, but could offer the Red Sox a cheaper alternative to stars like Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber in free agency.
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AloJapan.com