Munetaka Murakami gambling on himself with White Sox deal

Munetaka Murakami has found a home for the 2026 season.

Murakami is reportedly in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. This agreement comes as Murakami's posting window was about to close — he had until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday to agree to a contract, or he would return to Japan for the upcoming season.

Such a result is a surprising ending to what has been a quiet posting window for Murakami. MLB Trade Rumors had ranked Murakami as the fourth-best free agent available, predicting that he would receive an eight-year deal worth $180 million. While other teams reportedly had long-term offers, they did not have the same average annual value that he was expected to receive.

Munetaka Murakami has to prove himself with White Sox

Murakami had been one of the best power hitters in Nippon Professional Baseball during his time with the Yakult Swallows. He hit 246 homers in his 3,780 plate appearances over parts of eight years and set a record for Japanese-born players by hitting 56 homers in 2022. Murakami was also adept at working the count, drawing a walk in 16.2 percent of all plate appearances. That combination of power and willingness to work a walk is the type of profile teams covet.

However, Murakami also comes with his share of red flags. While Murakami drew walks, he also struck out in 28.8 percent of his plate appearances between 2023 and 2025. His 72.6 percent in-zone contact rate would have been the lowest in the majors. Murakami also came with questions regarding his defense; he was expected to move from third to first or become a designated hitter stateside.

Those red flags led to an unexpectedly diminished market. Murakami needs to prove the scouting reports wrong and show that he can make enough contact, especially against premium velocity, for his power potential to matter. If he can, Murakami would be set up for a significant payday when he returns to free agency at 27 years old. It is a significant gamble, but it is one he needed to take.