The Chicago White Sox made a free agency splash on Sunday. Yes, you read that correctly. 

The last-place club landed Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami in what was a surprising move for both the player and the organization.

The free agency of the slugger is a fascinating one with several layers. 

The Chicago White Sox signed Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34-million contract. 

Murakami’s market was quiet, with few teams linked to the slugger over the duration of his posting window, which began on Nov. 7 and was set to expire on Monday at 5 p.m. ET. 

The Red Sox recently “kicked the tires” on Murakami, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, but shortly after the signing was announced on Sunday, Boston had already moved on and boosted its offence by acquiring first baseman Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. 

The left-handed hitting Murakami spent the past eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and established a reputation as a premier power hitter. At just 25 he’s already compiled an impressive resume, having won two MVP awards while clubbing 265 home runs and owning a career slash line of .273/.394/.550 with a .945 OPS. 

Murakami’s best season came in 2022 when he belted 56 long balls and broke Sadaharu Oh’s record for the most homers in a season by a Japanese-born player in NPB.

That prodigious bat is Murakami’s calling card, with some scouts grading his raw power at 90 on the 20-80 scouting scale. His exit velocity numbers are also elite and some have even likened his skillset to that of Kyle Schwarber. 

So, what then led to the depressed market for Murakami? Simply put, swing and miss.  

Murakami’s strikeout rates since his standout 2022 season have been inflated, while his walk rates have decreased. That combination tossed a wrench into his free agency case. For context, his 28.60 per cent strikeout rate last season would have been ninth-worst in MLB last season among qualified hitters, and it’s fair to wonder what those numbers would look like against better pitching in North America. 

Additionally, the six-foot-two, 213-pound Murakami is not seen as a strong defender. He’s primarily been a third baseman but has also spent time at first, a position he’s expected to fill for the White Sox next season.  

The above concerns about Murakami led to him signing a two-year deal with the White Sox. It’s a low-risk gamble for a team that has lost more than 100 games in each of the past three seasons and doesn’t project to finish above last place in the American League Central in 2026. 

For now, Murakami fits in nicely among the club’s emerging core of young position players, which includes Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery and Chase Meidroth. However, if he proves he can hit at the MLB level and his power translates, both the organization and Murakami would benefit. 

The White Sox could seek to trade Murakami, potentially as soon as this July, offering buying clubs a player who could inject a heavy dose of power into their lineup at a relatively low financial cost. 

And in Murakami’s case, he’s set to become a free agent following the 2027 campaign, at which point he would be just 27. If he puts up strong numbers over the next two seasons, he’d be in a much better position to command a contract more in line with what the industry expected him to fetch this winter. 

MLB Trade Rumors pegged Murakami as the No. 4 free agent on the market and forecasted an eight-year, $180-million deal for him. Things obviously worked out much differently. 

The markets for the top available position players won’t be impacted by Murakami’s signing. Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Cody Bellinger and Alex Bregman all remain unsigned and it’s possible that group could linger on the free agent market into the new year as contending teams mull the various avenues available for offensive improvement.