LOS ANGELES — Japan’s biggest baseball star is officially headed to the open market, and oddsmakers believe the Los Angeles Dodgers are in the driver’s seat.
MLB announced Friday that Munetaka Murakami, the 24-year-old power-hitting third baseman who has drawn comparisons to Shohei Ohtani for his bat and star power, will be posted today, opening a 45-day window for all 30 MLB clubs to negotiate with him. The move launches one of the most anticipated international free-agent pursuits in years.
BetOnline.ag released its initial odds immediately after MLB’s announcement, and the Dodgers sit atop the board as the early favorites at 3/1. The Seattle Mariners (4/1), New York Yankees (5/1) and New York Mets (6/1) are also considered strong contenders. Boston (8/1), San Francisco (9/1) and Philadelphia (10/1) round out the early top tier of potential landing spots.
Murakami is expected to command a massive contract in his jump to MLB. BetOnline has set the over/under for his total deal at $129.5 million — a figure that would place him among the most expensive international position players ever signed.
The two-time Central League MVP has been a dominant force since debuting professionally at 19. He shattered NPB’s single-season home run record for a Japanese-born player with 56 homers in 2022 and has posted elite power numbers and on-base production throughout his career with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows.
A signing could shift the balance of power for whichever club lands him. The Dodgers, already a powerhouse lineup and a top bidder on major international talent, appear poised to make a run at the left-handed slugger. But with many of baseball’s richest franchises in the mix, the next month and a half figures to be competitive.
All 30 teams have posted odds, from favorites like the Dodgers to longshots such as the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates, both listed at 100/1. Updated odds will be posted in real time at BetOnline.ag throughout the negotiation period.
Murakami’s posting window runs through early January. By then, MLB will know whether the next Japanese superstar will land in Los Angeles — or whether another franchise pulls off a blockbuster of its own.