Aug 7, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan infielder Munetaka Murakami (55) hits a solo home run against USA during the third inning in the baseball gold medal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

Mariners miss out on Munetaka Murakami

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 7:07 PM ET

With Eugenio Suarez still on the free agent market and their third base situation up in the air, the Seattle Mariners were in discussions to bring two-time Japan League MVP Munetaka Murakami to the Emerald City. A 2022 Triple Crown winner in his native land, he had exercised his contractual clause to explore American options.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Sunday that the power hitter was passing up the contending Mariners for a team that's trying to turn around their recent fortunes. Marakami is headed to the Windy City as he becomes the newest member of the White Sox.

"Third baseman Munetaka Murakami and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, sources tell ESPN," Passan posted. "Murakami, 25, is the single-season home run champion in Japan and will bring his prodigious power to a rebuilding White Sox team."

'Rebuilding' might be an understatement for the South Siders, who went 60-102 in 2025, after setting the Major League Baseball record for losses with 121 the year before. Along with having stadium issues, it's been nothing but gloom and doom on the field for the franchise. Murakami's arrival represents a new beginning for the ChiSox... or at least, they hope it will.

For the Mariners, it's back to the drawing board as far as filling their third base position, but Murakami being off the market takes away one of their bigger options. The franchise may be forced to step up their offer to Suarez, who hit 49 home runs last season.

Munetaka Murakami might be a Major League miss

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Despite Murakami's impressive statistics, there are a lot of questions regarding whether those numbers will translate to MLB. Many scouts believe he will experience growing pains and will take a season or two to fully adjust to the American level of competition.

"Signing Murakami is no safe move, as there are wildly-varying outcomes, from high-boom to high-bust," Hannah Fillippo of SB Nation wrote of the deal. "On one hand, Murakami’s stats since 2021 have been stacked."

" A second glance at his numbers, however, indicates why. Murakami struggles to hit high-velocity fastballs and off-speed pitches. Per Baseball America’s scouting report, the 25-year-old exhibits 'below-average contact rates against nearly every pitch type, but does a majority of his damage against fastballs.' ... Both stats pose questions about his performance translation to MLB."