The White Sox Secure Power Bat Munetaka Murakami on an Lucrative Multi-Million Dollar Deal.
In a major move for their rebuilding roster, the Chicago White Sox have welcomed Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, completing a $34 million contract for the power-hitting player.
Contract Details and Added Benefits
The contract grants a seven-figure signing bonus, payable within 30 days, alongside annual pay of $16 million for the upcoming season and $17M for the following year.
Additionally, Murakami's 2027 salary can increase based on accolade achievements in 2026:
- A seven-figure bonus for being named the Most Valuable Player award.
- $500K for placing second or third in MVP voting.
- $250K for finishing fourth through 10th.
- An identical bonus for being named the ROY honor.
His deal includes that he cannot be assigned to the minor leagues without his permission and allows him to become a unrestricted player at the end of the term. Additional perks include a club-supplied interpreter and airfare between Japan and the U.S..
Transfer Payment and Team Legacy
As part of the acquisition, Chicago must pay a posting fee of roughly $6.58 million to the Swallows, Murakami's previous team in Japan's NPB. The Swallows get a 15% cut of any triggered performance bonuses.
Murakami will become the fourth Japanese-born to represent the South Siders, joining reliever Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and fielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Interestingly, Takatsu once managed Murakami back in Japan.
On-Field Accomplishments
Murakami, a left-side batter who will turn 26 in February, joins a emerging group of offensive players in Chicago that also features prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are finished with a last-place season, finishing at the bottom in the AL Central but showing a significant improvement from the prior campaign.
A two-time league MVP honors in '21 and '22, Murakami is famous for a record-breaking 2022 season where he belted 56 homers, breaking the all-time record for a player in Japan previously held by legend Sadaharu Oh. That feat also made him the youngest player ever to win Japan's prestigious Triple Crown.
His most recent NPB campaign was shortened to just 56 appearances due to an muscle issue. Even with striking out 64 Ks, he hit .273 with 22 homers and 47 runs batted in.
Over his eight-year tenure with the Yakult club, Murakami has accumulated a .270 batting average with 246 HRs, 647 RBIs, and nearly 1,000 strikeouts in 892 contests. Early in his career playing mostly at first, he has since transitioned to third.
Global Stage Success
Murakami's clutch hitting were on global view during the 2023 WBC. In the semifinal against Mexico, he drove in a victory-sealing double that brought home two fellow Japanese stars for a dramatic 6-5 win. The very next day in the title match against the Team USA, he slugged a game-tying home run in the early innings, paving the way for Japan's 3-2 championship win.
The new White Sox addition is scheduled to be unveiled at a press conference on Monday.