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Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan third baseman Munetaka Murakami (55) hits a walk-off double to win the game against Mexico during the ninth inning at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Yankees Can Reassess Munetaka Murakami Next Year

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Dec 21, 2025 3:15 PM ET

Munetaka Murakami signed with the Chicago White Sox. To some degree, it was a shock. Murakami's impending arrival in Major League Baseball had been hyped for years. The world saw him hit big blasts in the World Baseball Classic, and his homers have circulated on social media for years. The New York Yankees had been linked to him since his name first started popping up, and Murakami himself even said he would be open to playing on River Avenue, but, with the way things have gone with them landing NPB stars, it's another player from across the pond who has found himself playing elsewhere.

While Murakami taking his talents to the southside of Chicago is a surprise, it does make sense for him. Playing for them is a chance to prove himself, and if he establishes that he can hit big league pitching, he could end up being the next off-season's biggest prize.

Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images

A good season can work two-fold for him. It works for Murakami, where he proves the naysayers wrong by showing he can hang in the bigs. For the White Sox, they can fetch a robust prospect haul. Teams are always looking for bargains, and he'd be just that.

What was most unfortunate for Murakami was that his red flags have been more pronounced this off-season than they were in the past. It's a reason why he probably ended up with the White Sox in the first place. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand detailed what teams were afraid of signing him earlier in the offseason.

"If there's a potential red flag for Major League teams, it's Murakami's strikeout rate, which has risen significantly over the past three seasons," Feinsand wrote. "He whiffed in more than 30 percent of his at-bats during his first two seasons, but he lowered that rate between 20.9 and 22.3 percent from 2020-22. The past three seasons, that rate has increased again between 28.1 and 29.5 percent, including 180 strikeouts in 610 plate appearances in 2024."

There's Always Next Year

If playing for the White Sox is a tryout of sorts for Murakami, the Yankees can be one of those teams that can assess him from afar and see if there's a spot for him in 2026. His two-year, $34 million deal is a steal, especially if he hits the way he did in the NPB, where they dubbed him the Japanese Babe Ruth.

Murakami could be an interesting fit depending on how the Yankees' roster shakes up. If Ryan McMahon ends up being a dud, or Ben Rice unfortunately becomes a one-hit wonder the likes of Miguel Andujar, it could be worth making a run at the big lefty, particularly if his power game translates to MLB.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Even if the Yankees get big seasons out of McMahon and Rice, it could still be worth trading for Murakami next winter if the Sox do make him available. Giancarlo Stanton is in the twilight of his mega deal that he signed with the Marlins almost a decade ago, and that DH spot will be liberated sooner rather than later.

What to Look For

If one had to guess what a team like the Yankees would be looking for with Murakami, it would be less about batting average and more about his on-base and slugging. Think Texas Joey Gallo if Gallo were an infielder. His peripheral stats would also have to look good.

Let's say those numbers on the back of the baseball card are less than sparkling. If he still has a pretty-looking Baseball Savant page with a high expected slugging, xwOBA, exit velocity, and barrel rate, teams will be in on him then, too.

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