Munetaka Murakami joins elite company with 30th home run

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Munetaka Murakami joins elite company with 30th home run

By David Hill | Last updated Sep 5, 2026 9:53 PM ET

Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami joined an elite group of Japanese-born players with his 30th home run on Saturday.

Murakami became the fourth Japanese player in MLB history to hit 30 home runs in a season with his two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning. He joined Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (2021-2026), former Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui (2004) and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (2025) as the only players to do so, and became the first Japanese rookie to reach that milestone.

That home run also put Murakami into the White Sox history books. He joined third baseman Miguel Vargas and shortstop Colson Montgomery as the fourth trio in White Sox history (2004, 2006 and 2008) to hit 30+ homers in a season.

Murakami has been a key part for the resurgent White Sox. He entered Friday with a .211/.351/.476 batting line, providing plenty of power in the lineup. His 130 OPS+ (league average is 100) ranked third among players with at least one plate appearance, trailing only Vargas and outfielder Randal Grichuk.

Munetaka Murakami may not be done carving name into Chicago White Sox history book

30 HOME RUNS FOR MUNETAKA MURAKAMI! pic.twitter.com/vMxGN3OYgu
— MLB (@MLB) September 5, 2026

Murakami had been a major question mark when he signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the White Sox during the 2025-26 offseason. While he has the type of power that any team in the majors would covet, there were significant questions about his hit tool. There were also concerns as to whether or not Murakami would be able to handle major league pitching as he had typically struggled with higher velocity.

Although Murakami may never be a .250 hitter, he has proven that his strong batting eye and power can translate to the majors. The White Sox and Murakami reportedly have mutual interest in a long-term extension to keep the rookie slugger in Chicago. If such a deal happens, his impressive rookie season could only be the beginning as Murakami carves his name into the White Sox history books.

David Hill

Based in the mountains of Vermont, Dave has over a decade of experience writing about all things baseball. Just don't ask his thoughts on the universal DH.

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