Chicago's MLB Team Sign Power Bat Munetaka Murakami on an Major Two-Year Deal.
In a notable move for their rebuilding roster, the American League club have signed slugger Munetaka Murakami, agreeing to a $34 million contract for the power-hitting player.
Contract Details and Added Benefits
The contract grants a seven-figure signing bonus, issued within 30 days, combined with salaries of $16M for the 2026 season and seventeen million for the final year.
Additionally, Murakami's 2027 salary may grow based on accolade achievements in 2026:
- A seven-figure bonus for winning the league MVP award.
- $500K for finishing as runner-up or in third place in MVP voting.
- A quarter-million for finishing in the top ten.
- Another $250,000 for winning the Rookie of the Year honor.
His deal provides that he cannot be assigned to the farm system without his permission and grants him a free agent at the end of the deal. Extra provisions include a team-provided interpreter and flight reimbursement between his home country and the States.
Transfer Payment and Team Legacy
As part of the transaction, Chicago is obligated to provide a transfer fee of roughly $6.58 million to the Swallows, Murakami's previous team in Japan's Central League. The Japanese club are also entitled to a supplemental fee of 15% triggered salary escalators.
Murakami joins the ranks as the fourth Japanese-born to represent the South Siders, in the footsteps of reliever Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and fielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Of note, Takatsu once managed Murakami while both were in Japan.
Career Highlights
Murakami, a left-side batter who turns 26 soon, bolsters a promising core of hitters in Chicago that contains prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are finished with a last-place season, finishing last in the AL Central but showing a 19-game improvement from the prior campaign.
The winner of back-to-back Central League MVP honors in consecutive seasons, Murakami is renowned for a monumental 2022 season where he launched 56 HRs, breaking the all-time record for a Japanese-born player previously held by legend Sadaharu Oh. That feat also made him the youngest player ever to win Japan's elusive batting Triple Crown.
His most recent NPB campaign was curtailed to 56 games due to an muscle issue. Despite fanning 64 Ks, he hit .273 with 22 HRs and 47 RBIs.
Over his eight-season 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 contests. Initially playing mostly at first base, he has since transitioned to third base.
Global Stage Success
Murakami's heroics were on center stage during the last World Baseball Classic. In the semi-final against Mexico, he hit a walk-off two-base hit that drove in Shohei Ohtani and Masataka Yoshida for a come-from-behind 6-5 win. The following day in the championship game against the USA, he hit a equalizing shot in the early innings, paving the way for Japan's eventual 3-2 victory.
The power hitter is slated to be officially presented at a introductory event on the coming Monday.