White Sox add Munetaka Murakami
with $34 million, 2-year contract
[December 22, 2025]
By JAY COHEN
CHICAGO (AP) — The rebuilding Chicago White Sox added Munetaka
Murakami to their lineup on Sunday, agreeing to a $34 million,
two-year contract with the Japanese slugger.
Murakami, who turns 26 on Feb. 2, joins a promising group of young
hitters that also includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Chase
Meidroth. 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 gets a $1 million signing bonus payable within 30 days and
salaries of $16 million next year and $17 million in 2027.
His 2027 salary can escalate based on awards earned in 2026: $1
million for winning an MVP award, $500,000 for finishing second or
third in the voting, $250,000 for fourth through 10th and $250,000
for Rookie of the Year.
He can't be assigned to the minor leagues without his consent and
will be a free agent at the end of the contract. He also gets a
team-provided interpreter and flight reimbursement between Japan and
the U.S.
Chicago owes a posting fee of $6,575,000 to Yakult, Murakami's
Central League team. The Swallows also would receive a supplemental
fee of 15% of any triggered escalators.
Murakami would become the fourth Japanese-born player to play for
the White Sox, joining Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman
Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07) and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012).
Takatsu managed Murakami in Japan.
Murakami, who bats from the left side, is slated to be formally
introduced at a press conference on Monday.
Murakami was Central League MVP in 2021 and ’22. The corner
infielder was limited to 56 games this season because of an oblique
injury. He struck out 64 times, but he batted .273 with 22 homers
and 47 RBIs.
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Japan's Munetaka Murakami rounds the bases after hitting a home run
during the second inning of a World Baseball Classic game against
the U.S., March 21, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, file)
Murakami hit 56 homers in 2022 to break Sadaharu
Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player in Nippon Professional
Baseball while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple
Crown. He topped 30 homers in four straight years before an
injury-interrupted season in 2023.
He has a .270 career average with 246 homers, 647 RBIs and 977
strikeouts in 892 games over eight Central League seasons, all with
the Swallows.
After playing primarily at first base in 2019 and 2020, he has spent
most of his time since at third.
At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Murakami hit a game-ending
double off Giovanny Gallegos that drove in Shohei Ohtani and
Masataka Yoshida for a 6-5 semifinal win over Mexico. The following
day in the championship game, Murakami hit a tying home run off
Merrill Kelly in the second inning and Japan went on to beat the
United States 3-2.
Under the agreement between MLB and NPB, the posting fee is 20% of
the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned
bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5% of the next $25
million and 15% of any amount over $50 million.
___
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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