- - Is Munetaka Murakami a bargain at $34M for 2 years? His surprise signing with White Sox fits nicely in Chicago's rebuild

Russell DorseyDecember 22, 2025 at 12:43 AM

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Munetaka Murakami, 25, hit 265 career home runs in the NPB. (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports) (USA TODAY Sports / Reuters)

The biggest mystery of the MLB offseason has been: Where will Japanese star Munetaka Murakami sign? The Chicago White Sox gave baseball an answer, signing Murakami to a two-year, $34 million deal, giving their fan base an early Christmas present.

You can classify this move as a shocker for the White Sox, who won the Murakami sweepstakes despite the fact that they weren’t linked to the 25-year-old slugger until the night before he ultimately signed. Murakami provides instant power to the middle of the White Sox lineup that finished 23rd in MLB in homers. The third baseman hit 265 home runs for the Yakult Swallows of the NPB over eight seasons. In 2022, he hit a league-record 56 at the age of 22.

While Murakami’s signing was a surprise, he perfectly fits the White Sox’s plan and direction. Over the past two seasons, Chicago has been in a serious rebuild and in that span, the team’s front office has made several moves to bring in young talent. And while the on-field product has left something to be desired because of the talent deficit, the White Sox showed in 2025 they were re-building a culture.

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They also began to build a core of talented young players, including catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, infielder Lenyn Sosa, second baseman Chase Meidroth and shortstop Colson Montgomery, who finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Not to mention a strong farm system with headliners Braden Montgomery, left-hander Noah Schultz and Hagen Smith. And after winning the Draft Lottery, they’ll have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft next season.

“I think that we've got a much stronger foundation … [and] you're finding ways to continue to move this thing even just another level,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz told Yahoo Sports in September. “I feel like we've got a lot of good people here that are not necessarily similar — because we've got a diversity of backgrounds and thoughts and influences — but we also know that we're working toward a common goal. But that common goal is really just the continual kind of improvement, finding ways to get better.”

Murakami’s power plays on the South Side in that ballpark. The White Sox also have the at-bats open to give him time at third base, first base or even their DH spot. The swing-and-miss concerns are real, and how he adjusts to big-league pitching will be the thing to watch. https://t.co/kXYT164eSM

— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) December 21, 2025

You can make the case that Murakami was the most polarizing player in this year’s free-agent class, likely explaining why his market didn’t end up being as robust as many previously thought. The White Sox’s new slugger has some serious flaws and despite his big-time power, there are major concerns about his contact rate and ability to consistently hit high velocity pitches. Those criticisms have followed him throughout his free agency with many in the industry wondering if his offensive profile can be successful in MLB.

But Murakami is the type of gamble a team like the White Sox can and should make. Getz and the White Sox front office were able to be opportunistic after Murakami’s market came back to them. And while the move comes with risk, the reward of a 25-year-old slugger with 40-plus homer potential is definitely worth it.

For Murakami, playing in Chicago allows him to hit in a hitter’s paradise on the South Side that fits his swing. And success with the White Sox allows him to hit the market again at 27 with a chance at a bigger payday the next time around.

Make no mistake, this move is significant for the White Sox. After years in full rebuild mode, Murakami is the first free agent of consequence for Getz as White Sox GM and one that could have a major impact on 2026 and beyond. The White Sox hadn’t signed a Japanese player since 2005 World Series champion Tadahito Iguchi and as Japanese talent has had a major impact in MLB in recent years, getting a footprint in that market again is vital for future free-agent conquests.

If Murakami’s power plays like the White Sox hope it will, this move will look like a steal in two years and maybe be the start of a new era in Chicago.

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Source: “AOL Sports”