The White Sox have made their biggest free-agent splash in recent memory, agreeing to terms with Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami on a two-year, $34 million deal, according to reports. Murakami, 25, heads to Major League Baseball after a terrific eight-year career in Japan that saw him establish himself as one of the world’s premiere power hitters. He’ll now join a White Sox lineup in desperate need of power and another left-handed bat.
The market for Murakami was one of the more interesting storylines of the offseason so far. Some projected him to land upwards of $100 million in free agency, but concerns about his swing-and-miss ability and defensive position have led to a quieter market than expected. This gave Chris Getz and the White Sox an opportunity to get involved on a player they undoubtedly did not expect to be in their price range. He played both first base and third base in Japan, and is expected to play first base for the White Sox, allowing Miguel Vargas to slide back over to third.
Murakami hit 265 home runs over his eight years in Japan and will bring a power upside that simply no other first base options possess. In 2022, Murakami set a single-season record with 56 home runs in Japan en route to an MVP season. He’s posted 30+ home runs in five of his eight seasons, and hit 24 in the 69 games in 2025 while dealing with an injury. Notably, Murakami’s batting average jumped from .244 in 2024 to .286 in 2025, while his on-base percentage grew from .379 to .392. He’ll now get a chance to face big league pitching for the first time and will hope to carry over his power and improved contact ability.
Munetaka Murikami is bringing a STACKED resume over from NPB 😳 https://t.co/IPW2EhXRvZ pic.twitter.com/tJH1CrH4vf
— MLB (@MLB) November 7, 2025White Sox got tremendous upside with little long-term risk
Murakami will become the first player the White Sox have signed directly from Japan since Tadahito Iguchi in 2005. He provides a middle-of-the-order bat to their lineup immediately, with the upside of one of the premiere home run hitters in baseball. At only $17 million per year over a two-year commitment, there’s little long-term risk in case he doesn’t pan out. If the White Sox do get results from him, perhaps they’ll have the inside track to an extension or re-sign. They could also trade Murakami if he produces a strong first half. As much as it would be nice to lock him up long term, he’s a high-risk player and a short-term deal gives the team much more flexibility moving forward.
It’s been a mostly quiet offseason for the White Sox so far, but they took a massive swing with Murakami, and it signifies a genuine desire to improve the team. Whether Murakmai pans out or not, credit to the White Sox front office for taking a swing on the highest-upside player at a position of need. Whether he flames out or becomes a force in the White Sox lineup for years to come, only time will tell.
AloJapan.com