CHICAGO — In a strategic move to bolster their lineup, the Chicago White Sox have signed Japanese power hitter Munetaka Murakami to a two-year contract worth $34 million. The deal was finalized on Sunday, marking a significant addition to the team’s roster as they continue their rebuilding efforts.
Murakami, who will celebrate his 26th birthday on February 2, is set to join a dynamic lineup of emerging talents, including Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. Despite finishing at the bottom of the AL Central this season with a 60-102 record, the White Sox showed a 19-game improvement from the previous year, signaling a hopeful future.
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The contract includes a $1 million signing bonus, which Murakami will receive within 30 days, along with salaries of $16 million for the upcoming season and $17 million for 2027.
Murakami’s 2027 salary is structured to increase based on his performance in 2026, with potential bonuses of $1 million for an MVP award, $500,000 for placing second or third in the voting, $250,000 for a fourth to tenth place finish, and an additional $250,000 if he clinches the Rookie of the Year title.
According to the terms of the contract, Murakami cannot be moved to the minor leagues without his approval and will become a free agent once the contract expires. The White Sox have also agreed to provide him with an interpreter and cover his flight expenses between Japan and the United States.
Additionally, the team is responsible for a posting fee of $6,575,000 to Murakami’s Central League team, the Yakult Swallows. The Swallows are also entitled to a 15% share of any performance-based escalators that Murakami achieves during his tenure with the White Sox.
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.
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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