White Sox looking to keep slugger Munetaka Murakami for long haul

The Chicago White Sox hedged their bets when they signed first baseman Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract. Now, they are ready to go all-in.

White Sox general manager Chris Getz told Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post that the organization is interested in signing Murakami to a long-term deal. Although nothing seems imminent, Getz indicated that there have been conversations regarding such a deal between the two sides.

Murakami was one of the biggest question marks on the open market once he was posted during the 2025-26 offseason. While there was no questioning his immense power potential and ability to draw walks, there were significant concerns about his ability to make contact against major league pitching. 

Long-term deal with Munetaka Murakami would give White Sox power hitting cornerstone

Murakami has been essentially as advertised. An extreme three true outcomes slugger, he has posted a .219/.357/.503 batting line over his 429 plate appearances entering Thursday, belting 29 home runs despite missing just over a month due to a strained hamstring.

The concerns from Murakami's scouting report are still there. He has struck out in 33.8% of his plate appearances, far above the 22.1% league average. However, he has hit the ball hard when he has made contact and has drawn walks in an impressive 17.2% rate.

Murakami has been worth every dollar for the Chicago White Sox this season. A long-term deal could be a perfect solution for both sides given the impact he has made on their lineup.