Japan third baseman Munetaka Murakami stands at third base during a World Baseball Classic game against USA on March 21, 2023, at loanDepot Park. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

MLB Insider Lists Seattle Mariners as No. 1 Fit For International Superstar

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Teren Kowatsch | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 6:30 PM ET

The Seattle Mariners acquired their starting third baseman for the rest of the season after they traded for Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 30.

Currently, Suarez and the Mariners are attempting to make the team's second postseason berth in four seasons, and they're focused on that task. But there's questions for the team and Suarez after this season.

Suarez is set be a free agent and will be one of, if not the most, highly-coveted third baseman in free agency this upcoming offseason. He entered Wednesday with 69 runs in 117 games and hit 20 doubles and 37 home runs with 92 RBIs. He has a slash line of .234/.304/.540 with an .844 OPS.

The second-most sought after third baseman will b from Japan.

Corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is almost guaranteed to be posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. The 25-year-old slugger is considered one of the best power-hitters in NPB, is a two-time Central League MVP, four-time NPB All-Star, won the Japan Series (NPB's version of the World Series) in 2021 and has won two gold medals with Japan — one in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the other in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

In a recent appearance Bleacher Report's Walk-Off show, MLB insider Jon Heyman listed Seattle as his "top fit" for Murakami.

"(Suarez) is a free agent. I doubt he re-signs (with the Mariners)," Heyman said. " ... The Mariners have the money to sign (Murakami). Obviously, they've had Japanese players before and done well with them. To me, the Mariners are an excellent fit for Murakami."

Potential fits for Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, per @JonHeyman:

Mariners, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox pic.twitter.com/PDB1wOpXmb
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 13, 2025

Heyman listed the Los Angeles Dodgers as his second-best fit, the New York Mets the third-best fit and the Boston Red Sox as the fourth-best fit. Notably absent from Heyman's list were the New York Yankees, who Murakami has also been tied to in various rumor mills.

Murakami has hit 229 home runs with 609 RBIs in eight seasons in NPB. He's slashed .271/.395/.551 with a .945 OPS. He's been limited to 15 games this season due to a right oblique strain entering Wednesday.

Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off home run last night and watched every second of it

The 25-year-old third baseman will be signed by an MLB team this offseasonpic.twitter.com/IgjL13DrvK
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 12, 2025

Murakami is projected to earn a $200-$300 million contract when he's posted. There's been speculation he could earn a contract on the lower-end of that range due to his injury.

Murakami can also play first base, which could also help the Mariners. Their other trade acquisition, first baseman Josh Naylor, is also a free agent after this season.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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