The possibility of the Los Angeles Angels bringing in another potential Japanese star has stopped dead in its tracks with Sunday’s news of corner infielder Munetaka Murakami signing with the Chicago White Sox. The deal will keep the slugging Japanese star in the South Side of Chicago for two years on a $34 million contract.
This, of course, means the Angels will have to pursue other targets to fill their hole at the third base position. Murakami would have provided another power-hitting bat to an Angels lineup that finished near the top of the league in home runs last season. His power swing would have perfectly filled in for that of outfielder Taylor Ward, who the Halos traded away earlier in the offseason.
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Last season with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, Munetaka showed off his immense power in a limited sample size. In just 69 games, Murakami smashed 24 home runs on his way to an OPS of 1.051. Unfortunately, the Halos will be without one of the most intriguing bats of this year’s free agency after Sunday’s news.
The Angels had been linked as a team to watch in the Murakami sweepstakes since he was posted back in November. Third base has been a position with heavy turnover in Anaheim for years now, despite the signing of Anthony Rendon ahead of the 2020 campaign. Now with reports of a potential Rendon buyout, the Angels finally seemed ready to head into a new chapter at the hot corner position.
Murakami could have provided that fresh face at third base, while also being able to contribute at first base and as a designated hitter. Perhaps the Angels, along with other teams across the MLB, weren’t ready to take the risk on Murakami, who showed significant strikeout issues and troubles against the fastball.
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Ending up with the White Sox on a short-term deal, Murakami can begin his MLB career without lofty expectations, instead focusing on refining his game. There’s plenty of time for Murakami to improve in his questionable areas, as he’ll play his first MLB game at just 26 years old next spring.
As for the Angels, they’ll have to look elsewhere to fill their hole at third base. Players like Eugenio Suarez and Nolan Arenado are reportedly players that general manager Perry Minasian and the Halos’ front office are interested in to take hold of the hot corner. Whoever it may be, the Angels will almost certainly have a fresh face at third base in 2026.