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In a significant move for their rebuilding roster, the American League club have signed infielder Munetaka Murakami, agreeing to a $34 million contract for the power-hitting player.

Contract Details and Incentives

The contract grants a $1 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days, combined with salaries of $16M for the next season and $17 million for the final year.

Importantly, Murakami's 2027 salary may grow based on award achievements in 2026:

• An additional $1M for earning the MVP award.
• Half a million dollars for finishing second or third in MVP voting.
• A quarter-million for finishing in the top ten.
• $250,000 for winning the top rookie honor.

The agreement provides that he cannot be assigned to the minor leagues without his permission and grants him a unrestricted player at the end of the deal. Additional perks include a dedicated interpreter and airfare between his home country and the States.

Posting Fee and Franchise History

As part of the signing, Chicago is obligated to provide a posting fee of roughly $6.58 million to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami's former team in Japan's professional league. The Swallows would also receive a supplemental fee of 15% triggered incentive payments.

Murakami will become the fourth Japanese-born to suit up for the White Sox, in the footsteps of pitcher Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and fielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Notably, Takatsu was a manager for Murakami back in Japan.

Career Highlights

Murakami, a left-handed hitter who turns 26 soon, joins a young lineup in Chicago that contains prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are coming off a last-place season, placing at the bottom in the American League Central but representing a notable improvement from the previous campaign.

A two-time Central League MVP honors in 2021 and 2022, Murakami made history with a monumental 2022 season where he launched 56 home runs, eclipsing the all-time record for a Japanese-born player previously held by icon Sadaharu Oh. That year also made him the youngest player ever to achieve Japan's coveted Triple Crown.

His most recent NPB campaign was shortened to a partial schedule due to an muscle issue. Even with fanning 64 times, he hit .273 with 22 HRs and 47 runs batted in.

Over his career tenure with the Yakult club, Murakami has accumulated a .270 lifetime batting average with 246 home runs, 647 runs batted in, and 977 strikeouts in 892 games. Initially playing mostly at first base, he has spent most of his time to the hot corner.

Global Stage Success

Murakami's big-game performance were on global view during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In the semifinal against Mexico, he drove in a victory-sealing two-base hit that drove in two fellow Japanese stars for a thrilling 6-5 win. The next night in the championship game against the United States, he hit a tying homer in the second inning, setting the stage for Japan's eventual 3-2 victory.

The power hitter is slated to be formally introduced at a press conference on the coming Monday.