Why Mets should make a run at Japanese star

The first step towards remaking the lineup in free agency came with Jorge Polanco's two-year contract, offering a switch-hitter who will split time between designated hitter and first base. But there is still room for another player to help at those positions, making the lingering free agency of Japanese star Munetaka Murakami worth monitoring for the Mets.

The posting deadline for Murakami expires in a week and there have been very few reports of teams showing interest in his services. Murakami is just 25 years old and has hit 256 home runs in eight professional seasons, including 56 back in 2022, but there have been concerns about how his power will translate against the increased velocity major league pitchers have.

There are also defensive questions about Murakami, who played both infield corners in Japan but was perceived by scouts as a negative at third base. The Mets could theoretically plug Murakami in at first, allowing them to DH Polanco more and pursue a defensive upgrade in the corner outfield to fill Nimmo's shoes.

Why Munetaka Murakami Could Fit The Mets

Stearns has been very clear about his approach to free agency, assigning players a valuation and being very disciplined not to budge from that valuation by much. That approach can theoretically help the Mets avoid too many bad contracts, particularly of the long-term variety, but it is an approach that can be difficult to execute in free agency where players are willing to hold out for a while to get the deal they desire.

That is not the case for Murakami, who has until December 22nd at 5:00 p.m. to pick a major league team or return to Japan for the 2026 season. While there was reason to believe Murakami could easily snag a longer-term deal at a high annual salary when the posting window opened, the closer he gets to the end of the posting window could increase the odds Murakami takes a shorter deal to ensure he makes the jump to America.

Stearns spent significant time scouting in Japan this season and got a few good looks at Murakami, offering him an idea of whether or not he feels Murakami's power will translate to the majors. The departure of Alonso also opens first base for Murakami, who could fit the idea of a "bat-first" player that The Athletic's Will Sammon mentioned.

While there is risk that Murakami's power is more understated in America, a shorter-term deal could make it a nice upside bet for the Mets to take. Murakami's age is also a significant benefit as it lines up nicely to allow the Mets to maximize Juan Soto's prime with an ascending player rather than potentially descending stars like Alonso and Nimmo.

Adding a guy like Murakami to the roster would also free up the Mets to move Mark Vientos in a trade, which could be an avenue to allow Stearns to upgrade his rotation. Having Murakami and Polanco would make Vientos a redundant piece for the Mets, especially with intriguing prospect Ryan Clifford moving up to Triple-A at the end of last season.

It is certainly possible that teams are being too conservative with Murakami, who offers the kind of power potential that is rare in the game. No one expects Murakami to come to America and hit 40 long balls immediately, but the market's reluctance to embrace his skill set could play directly into Stearns' value-based philosophy if his price matches what Murakami is willing to sign for by Monday afternoon.

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