Munetaka Murakami makes an unusual request of the White Sox

Munetaka Murakami does not have to deal with any cheap one-ply toilet paper.

The new Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami made an unusual request of the team upon touring the team’s facilities earlier this offseason, White Sox GM Chris Getz revealed on Monday. Murakami requested that bidets be installed in the toilets at the clubhouse, a request that Chicago ultimately granted.

“One thing that stood out, one thing he did notice is I think we didn’t have a bidet in our locker room,” Getz of Murakami, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. “That’s something that’s new to him, and we are putting one in. So, it was like, ‘OK, that’s new. We can do that.’”

The 26-year-old Murakami, a four-time All-Star infielder in his native Japan, signed with the White Sox earlier this offseason on a two-year, $34 million deal. Despite getting recruited by a notable name from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Murakami surprisingly chose to join Chicago instead.

A lefty hitter who can play at both first base and third base, Murakami won Japan’s hitting Triple Crown in 2022 by batting .318 with 56 home runs and 134 RBIs. In 2025 though, Murakami was limited to 69 total games played due to an oblique injury, hitting .286 with 24 home runs and 52 RBIs overall.

As for the bidets, those are a staple of life in Murakami’s native Japan. While slowly growing in popularity in the United States as well, bidets are far less common and once were only used by the likes of the ultra-wealthy like Tom Brady.