When Munetaka Murakami signed with the White Sox this offseason, the assumption by many was that he would play first base on an everyday basis at the MLB level. And while that will likely remain true, his defensive home does not appear as cut-and-dry as initially expected. White Sox manager Will Venable recently appeared on Foul Territory and discussed Murakami’s defensive progress, revealing that while first base remains his primary focus, the team intends to keep him sharp at third base as well.
Will Venable says Munetaka Murakami's defensive focus will mostly be at first base, but the team doesn't want to ignore his ability to play across the diamond. pic.twitter.com/odrGnkzy34
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 11, 2026
This development shouldn’t be a complete surprise considering Murakami has experience playing third base professionally. In fact, third base was his primary defensive position in Japan. He made 763 appearances at the hot corner during his career overseas compared to only 266 games at first base. That trend has continued recently as well. He played 63 games at third base, eight at first base, and three in the outfield with the Yakult Swallows in 2025.
Emphasis on Versatility
Venable offered some interesting insights, emphasizing the importance of Murakami maintaining his versatility in the field.
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“We want to focus at first base, but he’s obviously played on the other side of the diamond…we want to make sure that’s still a club in his bag. He’s someone who’s committed and is willing to put in the work to be proficient at both spots,” he said.
Venable did elaborate by saying that although Murakami will spend most of his time at first base, they want to keep him locked in at third base. They are staying true to that philosophy early on in the spring, as Murakami has taken grounders at third base at the White Sox spring training facility at Camelback Ranch.
#ホワイトソックス #村上宗隆 内野手⚾️#西田陸浮 内野手とノック🎥
三塁を守ってます👀#WhiteSox pic.twitter.com/w0v6eVMkEB
— Masaya Kotani (@MasayaKotani) February 8, 2026
Potential White Sox Infield Alignments
Miguel Vargas appeared in 79 games at third base for the 2025 White Sox and appears to be the everyday option at the position heading into this season. Still, it is an interesting development that Murakami could be in consideration for playing time at the position. Doing so would allow Venable to have more flexibility in creating his lineups and potentially open the door for Lenyn Sosa, who is currently the odd man out to an extent, to get in the lineup at first base.
Murakami Is The Future
Regardless of where he plays in the field, the White Sox brought in Munetaka Murakami because of his bat. He has already shown his trademark mammoth power in batting practice and has immediately become one of the best power hitters on the team. It’s fair to expect some growing pains in his rookie season considering the transition from Japan to MLB, but Venable has already praised him for his desire to improve in all aspects of the game. Whether he plays first base or third, Murakami will be one of the centerpieces of the future for the White Sox.
