White Sox's Munetaka Murakami making MLB history even Shohei Ohtani hasn't achieved

White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami making MLB history even Shohei Ohtani hasn’t achieved originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Munetaka Murakami’s free agency was awfully slow.

It finally ended in late December when the Chicago White Sox signed the Japanese slugger to a two-year, $34 million deal — way below his expected market value.

Murakami’s tremendous power was a significant factor in what made him a superstar in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, and he’s brought that light tower power with him to the Majors.

The 26-year-old is setting records that not even Shohei Ohtani accomplished through his first eight career MLB games.

More: Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career

“Munetaka Murakami’s four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player in his first 8 career MLB games,” MLB.com’s Sarah Langs wrote on X on Saturday.

Murakami drove a 1-0 93.9 mph sinker from left-hander Brendon Little of the Toronto Blue Jays over the head of center fielder Daulton Varsho for a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth.

Much was said about Murakami’s inability to consistently hit fastballs over 93 mph during the offseason, but he’s proving doubters wrong thus far. The White Sox may have found a not-so-hidden gem.

More MLB news:

White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami making MLB history even Shohei Ohtani hasn’t achieved

Tags: