Per Passan: White Sox sign Munetaka Murakami 2 years 34M

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

8 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

these deals are always orchestrated to eventually make Birmingham better.

I wouldn't expect miracles the 1st season.  Learning pitchers is not overnight and will take at least a season.

Took Ohtani  early in his 1st spring training to make an adjustment.

Eric Hinske suggested a toe tap instead of the leg kick he had to improve timing , gain more barrrel control, and contact out in front of the plate.

[Lip Man 1]

https://www.mlb.com/news/munetaka-murakami-white-sox-mark-feinsand

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2025/12/21/white-sox-to-sign-japanese-slugger-munetaka-murakami

 

[Soxfest]

Well worth the price tag, excited to see him in the lineup. A LH hitter with his power potential is something Sox fans have wanted for years.

[Chick Mercedes]

57 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Anyone know why theres a big drone show over the stadium right now

Aliens concerned about all the nuclear powered weapons 

[soxrwhite]

Chris Getz Murakami. I guess he had a Yen.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

9 hours ago, nrockway said:

I do think it’s notable that he could’ve signed this same deal with a better team in need of a 1b/DH type (Mets, Red Sox, Braves, Padres come to mind) or with plenty of other ‘rebuilding’/treadmilling teams, but our Sox came out on top for a  premier free agent. I was also thinking about how Ketel Marte’s no-trade clause didn’t apply to the White Sox and maybe the team’s reputation is out of the toilet compared to even two seasons ago when every former Sock couldn’t wait to trash talk the team’s culture. Even if Murakami-sama is a bust, I think it inspires confidence that the team can actually attract a free agent relative to other organizations. 

Oh you used Murakami- Sama which means God. So now the Sox have the Pope and a God ! 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

5 hours ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

Amazing 

Moon-Aaaaye !!!  The Fonz 👍

[The CashMan]

7 hours ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I mean I know this is the white Sox but if they were afraid of Robert's 20 million they both wouldn't have picked up the option or signed Murakami. If they trade Robert it will because the trade improves the team after 2026.

You have watched Jerry manage the team payroll before, right? That is not how he operates. As soon as they signed this guy, they were calling for season tickets. They will trade Robert to reduce payroll, the side effect will be a possibility of making the team better in the future. They had a chance to made a trade last offseason and retain some of his contract and jerry balked, 

[chitownsportsfan]

2 minutes ago, The CashMan said:

You have watched Jerry manage the team payroll before, right? That is not how he operates. As soon as they signed this guy, they were calling for season tickets. They will trade Robert to reduce payroll, the side effect will be a possibility of making the team better in the future. They had a chance to made a trade last offseason and retain some of his contract and jerry balked, 

JR is old news on the South Side. Thank the Lord.

 

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

2 hours ago, WestEddy said:

I was luke warm on the prospect of signing this guy as there's a bunch of risk. I get it, they've certainly mitigated that risk. It's a fun signing to make a splash in the Asian market with, and maybe he did pick the White Sox over the Red based on a sober assessment of his weaknesses, and the White Sox presented a coherent plan to rectify his swing that could make him a pure monster. 

I now wonder if/how they plan to improve upon Luis Robert if they trade him. They don't have a lot of bWAR to make up (1.4). 

I was dead wrong about his contract and you were as close as or closer than anyone when you said 3/$45M.

Of course I never thougt the Sox had much of a chance at signing him because I also noted the Sox hadn't given out more than a 2 year contract since JR hired Getz.

What puzzles me is there was a thread that talked about if you could sign a certain type of free agent ( I forget the parameters) who would you sign and I know I said Murakami. But despite searching I cannot find that thread.

Maybe the whole thread got deleted  if it degenerated into Star Wars Revenge of the Sith. It wasn't that long ago since it talked about the off season.

 

[nrockway]

The ugly Sox just traded for willson Contreras. Have to think they would’ve preferred Murakami. less money, a decade younger, wouldn’t have to give up prospects. 

[WestEddy]

10 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

I was dead wrong about his contract and you were as close as or closer than anyone when you said 3/$45M.

Of course I never thougt the Sox had much of a chance at signing him because I also noted the Sox hadn't given out more than a 2 year contract since JR hired Getz.

What puzzles me is there was a thread that talked about if you could sign a certain type of free agent ( I forget the parameters) who would you sign and I know I said Murakami. But despite searching I cannot find that thread.

Maybe the whole thread got deleted  if it degenerated into Star Wars Revenge of the Sith. It wasn't that long ago since it talked about the off season.

 

That's on the front page, right now, called "If Ishbia gave us one early present, who would excite you to add to this not ready team"

Well, it seems that it was a weird year for teams needing 1B and scouting tanked this kid's value further. $15M per felt about right to establish himself. Somebody answered SS2K5's question about staying in Japan. Like the minors, he's got nothing else to prove there, and he can't solve his issues against 90 mph junkballers. I figured he'd take a prove it contract to get his feet wet, then go back into FA. 

[Middle Buffalo]

Early nickname candidate - “Money Talks” Murakami.

[chitownsportsfan]

One of the most upvoted comments suggests that our old friend Shingo advised him on how it is in Chicago. Just a random comment but interesting. 

Edited December 22 by chitownsportsfan

[beautox]

Love this move; been following him since the WBC. Let the rosterabation commence. 

[caulfield12]

16 minutes ago, nrockway said:

The ugly Sox just traded for willson Contreras. Have to think they would’ve preferred Murakami. less money, a decade younger, wouldn’t have to give up prospects. 

The massive difference is that Contreras has been a proven run producer (when healthy) for quite some time…if their scouts were 100% sold on Murakami, they surely would have secured him on a $20-22 million one year deal, or higher AAV two years.

Red Sox are not even 100% about Bregman holding up in his 30s, but he’s still a surer thing.  Same with Bichette, for that matter.

And they still have their young core intact, with the possible exception of moving on from Duran.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

3 hours ago, bmags said:

We should call him El Caballo

Almost assuredly in true baseball fashion he'll be referred to as Moonie when his manager and teammates talk about him.

[caulfield12]

1) White Sox give him little to no pressure to produce his first year, adjustment period

2) Ability to experiment at 3B and drive up his perceived market/trade value

3) Marketing opportunities in #2 media market, as already the biggest name player on team

4) Comfort level with Suzuki and Imanaga in town already and adjusted

5) Coverage over 2027 lockout year

6) Ability to go back to FA market at the very start of his physical peak…which is quite rare in today’s game

7) Relatively easy short RF target zone at GRF…been saying that 35 years now…shorter gaps/alleys as well

Not to mention ST shared facilities with Dodgers…

[nrockway]

9 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

The massive difference is that Contreras has been a proven run producer (when healthy) for quite some time…if their scouts were 100% sold on Murakami, they surely would have secured him on a $20-22 million one year deal, or higher AAV two years.

Red Sox are not even 100% about Bregman holding up in his 30s, but he’s still a surer thing.  Same with Bichette, for that matter.

And they still have their young core intact, with the possible exception of moving on from Duran.

I think the timing is such that Contreras wasn’t their first choice. Although as it turns out, STL is retaining some salary so BOS is only paying him $32mil. Have to think that’s close to what they offered Murakami and then completed this deal after he was off the market. Contreras is “proven” but he’s also pretty old at this point. 

[caulfield12]

12 minutes ago, nrockway said:

I think the timing is such that Contreras wasn’t their first choice. Although as it turns out, STL is retaining some salary so BOS is only paying him $32mil. Have to think that’s close to what they offered Murakami and then completed this deal after he was off the market. Contreras is “proven” but he’s also pretty old at this point. 

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/fantasy-baseball-offseason-reactions-munetaka-murakamis-deal-with-white-sox-spells-trouble/

Of course there's this very skeptical view of Murakami.

That the White Sox can't be right while 29 teams with bigger scouting depts and better, more advanced analytics departments are all wrong.

If it was MIL CLE TB instead...the perception would be quite different.

Also, the Dodgers keeping Muncy at his advanced age instead of pursuing Murakami.

Lots of factors to consider.

 

If we substituted Colson Montgomery's history for Murakami and made him a FA...the demand might be higher for Colson due to 4 successful months of MLB play and his ability to play above average SS, but not many teams would guarantee more than three years because of the possibility of that floor falling out from under him and him outgrowing the position or having back problems due to the torque created by that violent swing.

Edited December 22 by caulfield12

[bmags]

He’s a big boy.

[caulfield12]

"The Swallows will receive a $6.575 million posting fee and could receive more based on performance incentives in Murakami’s deal."

 

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/22/baseball/mlb/munetaka-murakami-posting-white-sox/

Edited December 22 by caulfield12

[greg775]

Wow. The Sox getting this guy is huge. A starter from day one who can hit 50 plus homers. Are happy days here again? Bears during the winter; Sox summer?

[caulfield12]

"HallofFrank"  Soxmachine.com comments section

"Simply put, Murakami is a unicorn due to his elite exit velocities. It won't be so surprising if he succeeds in unexpected ways.

(2) He (Mike Baumann) doesn't sufficiently account for Murakami's age and difference in league — in other words, for the likelihood of substantial adjustments. Extremely talented players can often get by with certain approaches or swings at lower levels (or in this case, different levels, see Ohtani NPB numbers) but typically must adjust when they climb the ladder. Murakami is clobbering NPB, so chances are he didn't care about his Z-Contact %. And why would he? But as he works with MLB teams and sees the ways he'll be pitched, he'll have to make adjustments, like many other prospects who advance after dominating a lower level. In general, I'm less concerned about one hole in the player's game if he's dominating the level, because he doesn't yet have the incentive to adjust and it demonstrates spectacular tools elsewhere.

I'm not saying he'll come over and it'll be an easy fix and that will be that. But it's rather typical for exceptionally talented prospects to have a statistical hole in their game somewhere because they've never really had to address it."

 

https://soxmachine.com/2025/12/white-sox-signing-munetaka-murakami-to-two-year-34m-deal

Edited December 22 by caulfield12

[MikeKreevich]

Call him Mune