Prior to today, the White Sox have flown under the radar in free agency, as they only made one major league signing and a few smaller trades. The White Sox were expected to do more than that, and today they made an absolute massive signing.
According to Jeff Passan, the White Sox and Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami are in agreement on a 2 year, 34 million dollar deal. This is a fantastic price for the White Sox, as they get a potential superstar on an affordable deal.
BREAKING: Third baseman Munetaka Murakami and the Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a two-year, $34 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Murakami, 25, is the single-season home run champion in Japan and will bring his prodigious power to a rebuilding White Sox team.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2025
The best part about the contract is that it is short term, so if Murakami’s game doesn’t translate to MLB, they aren’t on the hook for a long term contract. If Murakami does play to his potential, the White Sox will then be in the drivers seat to resign him, as they should be entering their window of contention.
This is massive for the White Sox, as they now get a middle of the order power bat that can help protect Luis Robert Jr. and the other young hitters in the lineup. This signing comes on the heels of a projection by David Schenfield that the White Sox would be the team to sign Murakami.
Murakami had an MVP caliber year in Japan in 2025. In his age 25 season, he hit .286 with 24 homeruns and 52 RBIs in just 69 games. Those are elite power numbers in a limited amount of time. He also had a .392 OBP and a very impressive 1.051 OPS.
Munetaka Murakami between 2021-2024 in the Japan Central League:
567 GP
.274 AVG
.967 OPS
159 HR
416 RBI
319 BBHow heavily should the Mets pursue him?
pic.twitter.com/XpotIT2WBv— MetsMuse (@MetsMuse) November 7, 2025
In Murkami’s eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows, he has hit over 246 homeruns, including a 2022 season in which he hit 56 homeruns. He has been one of the premier power hitters in Japan and now he brings his talents to a notoriously hitter friendly ballpark in Chicago.
Additionally, according to Jeff Passan, Murakami is expected to play first base for the White Sox, which was one of the biggest needs heading into the offseason, as despite getting solid play from Miguel Vargas, they were missing a true first basemen. Murakami now fits that bill and should get everyday reps at first.
This is an absolutely massive signing for the White Sox, so hats off to Chris Getz. Murakami will make an instant impact in the lineup, and this signing could have implications for years to come for the White Sox organization.
