Munetaka Murakami

White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami was scratched from Thursday's Cactus League game due to general fatigue.

Fantasy Impact

Murakami has appeared in four spring games to this point and was afforded a day off on Thursday. The 26-year-old will transition from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball to the big leagues this season after hitting .273 with 22 homers and a 1.042 OPS across an injury-shortened 56 games last season.

Munetaka Murakami will be in the lineup for the White Sox Cactus League opener on Friday against the Cubs.

Fantasy Impact

Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract back in December with the White Sox. He is slated to open the season in the middle of the lineup.

According to Jeff Passan, Murakami has signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. The 25-year-old prized free agent from Japan adds significant power to a rebuilding Chicago lineup.

Fantasy Impact

Despite swing-and-miss concerns, Murakami has power that should translate to the big league level. With Murakami joining the White Sox, he provides some much needed pop in the middle of the lineup as Chicago hit only 165 home runs as a team last season - second-to-last in the American League. Murakami hit 246 home runs in eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows, including a single-season Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) record 56 in 2022. Murakami, who could play first base or third base, is a low-risk, high-reward signing for the White Sox given the short length of the contract. While his strikeout numbers are a concern as evidenced by a near-30% strikeout rate over his last two seasons, the power numbers cannot be ignored.

Third baseman Munetaka Murakami was officially posted for major-league teams by the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball on Friday. The 25-year-old's 45-day negotiating window begins Saturday and will close on December 22.

Fantasy Impact

Murakami's power is expected to translate to the big-league level, though he comes with swing-and-miss concerns, evidenced by a 29.5 percent strikeout rate in his last full season (2024). He is coming off an injury-shortened 2025 campaign where he still hit 22 home runs in 56 games. The left-handed hitter has posted a .945 OPS over eight seasons in Japan and has primarily played third base, though there is a good chance he could shift to first base in the majors.