White Sox Share New Munetaka Murakami Injury Update

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White Sox Share New Munetaka Murakami Injury Update

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Thomas Kelson | Last updated Jul 2, 2026 5:34 PM ET

The Chicago White Sox have been breaking expectations all season, currently sitting atop the American League Central.

The poster boy for that turnaround has been Munetaka Murakami, who became an instant sensation from the moment he stepped onto a major league field. However, the star slugger has been sidelined for more than a month after suffering a Grade 2 right hamstring strain while trying to beat out a throw to first base. He was initially expected to miss four to six weeks.

Now in Week 5 of that timeline, manager Will Venable revealed a crucial update on Murakami's return. Venable said Murakami will need a minor league rehab assignment before returning. However, there is still no timetable for when that assignment will begin or how many games he'll need before rejoining the White Sox.

Before the injury, Murakami looked like one of baseball's biggest breakout stars. He was on pace to hit well over 50 home runs and looked every bit like the next Japanese star in the major leagues alongside Shohei Ohtani.

In 200 at-bats this season, Murakami is hitting .240/.378/.560 with a .938 OPS, 20 home runs and 41 RBI. He has also shown a keen eye at the plate, posting a 19.9% walk rate that ranks in the 99th percentile.

Murakami will go on a Minor League rehab before he returns per Venable. No timetable set yet.
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) July 2, 2026

Murakami, 26, was already well known throughout the baseball world before coming to MLB. In 2022, he broke the NPB single-season home run record with 56 long balls. He quickly became one of the sport's most highly touted international stars and a player many expected to eventually make the jump to the majors.

However, many major league teams questioned whether Murakami could consistently hit elite velocity. Those concerns prevented him from landing the lucrative contract many expected. Instead, the White Sox swooped in and signed him to a two-year, $34 million deal.

Before the injury, Murakami looked worth every penny. As for those concerns against fastballs, he owns a .714 slugging percentage against the pitch this season.

Murakami has completely transformed the narrative around the White Sox. A team that lost more than 100 games in each of the previous three seasons suddenly looks well on its way to its first postseason appearance since 2021.

There were concerns about how Chicago would respond after Murakami went down on May 30. Instead, the White Sox have held their own, going 13-13 during his absence. It'll likely be another couple of weeks before Murakami returns, but Chicago has shown no signs of slowing down.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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