The Chicago White Sox have added a slugger to their lineup, signing 26-year-old Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract that will see him hit the majors for the first time this season.
Contract Details
The deal includes a $1 million signing bonus payable within 30 days, a $16 million salary in 2025 and a $17 million salary in 2026. Murakami’s 2026 salary can increase based on awards earned in 2026: $1 million for an MVP award, $500 000 for a second or third place finish, $250 000 for fourth through tenth place and $250 000 for Rookie of the Year. He cannot be assigned to the minor leagues without his consent and will become a free agent when the contract ends. The team will provide an interpreter and reimburse flights between Japan and the U.S.
Chicago owes a posting fee of $6 575 000 to Yakult, Murakami’s Central League team. The Swallows will receive a supplemental fee equal to 15 % of any escalator that is triggered. Under the MLB/NPB posting system, the fee is calculated at 20 % of the first $25 million of the contract, 17.5 % of the next $25 million and 15 % of any amount over $50 million.
Background on Murakami
Murakami, a left-handed batter, is slated to be formally introduced at a press conference on Monday. He was Central League MVP in 2021 and 2022, and in 2022 he hit 56 home runs to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional Baseball. He became the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple Crown and topped 30 home runs in four straight years before an injury-interrupted season in 2023. Over eight Central League seasons with the Swallows, he has a .270 career average with 246 home runs, 647 RBIs and 977 strikeouts in 892 games. He has played primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, then mostly at third base since.
In the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami delivered a game-ending double off Giovanny Gallegos that drove in Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida for a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The next day, he hit a tying home run off Merrill Kelly in the second inning of the championship game, helping Japan beat the United States 3-2.
He was limited to 56 games this season because of an oblique injury, striking out 64 times, batting .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs.
Historical Context for the White Sox
The White Sox finished last in the AL Central this year with a 60-102 record, a 19-game improvement from the previous season. Murakami joins a promising group of young hitters that includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth. He becomes the fourth Japanese-born player to play for the White Sox, following Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07) and Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Takatsu, who managed him in Japan, will be his former manager.
Key Takeaways
- The White Sox signed Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract with a $1 million signing bonus.
- Murakami’s 2026 salary can rise with awards, and the posting fee to Yakult is $6 575 000.
- He joins a young core and becomes the fourth Japanese-born player in White Sox history.
The signing signals the White Sox’s intent to build on last season’s improvement by adding veteran power to a young lineup, with expectations that Murakami will contribute immediately in 2024.
