Munetaka Murakami

Munetaka Murakami signs two-year deal with White Sox

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.