MIAMI — There haven’t been many bright spots in the White Sox’ first six games of the season, but it’s usually been Munetaka Murakami putting on the show.
Now, the 26-year-old first baseman, who has made a powerful impression in his first week in the big leagues, will bring The Murakami Show to Rate Field Friday for the Sox’ home opener, which was pushed back a day due to Thursday’s rainy forecast.
He’s gotten an early taste of the misery all too familiar to Sox fans, as his new squad closed out their 1-5 season-opening road trip with a 10-0 blowout loss to the Marlins, mustering just three hits off Sandy Alcantara in a complete-game shutout at loanDepot Park.
Sox starter Shane Smith threw one into center-field while trying to turn a double play in the first, and the situation devolved with four straight hits leading to a quick 4-0 Miami lead. The Marlins put the game out of reach by the end of the third inning, tagging Smith for eight hits seven earned runs. He had two walks and a strikeout.
Murakami didn’t fare any better against Alcantara than most of his teammates, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. But he’s got five hits including three homers plus four walks with one MLB week under his belt.
Munetaka Murakami takes ground balls before a game against the Brewers last weekend in Milwaukee.
“It’s been really impressive, just the quality of at-bats,” assistant general manager Josh Barfield said. “He’s been facing guys for the first time, and facing really good arms.”
That includes Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski, who battled to full counts against Murakami on Opening Day only to walk him twice. Later on that game, the 26-year-old first baseman hit the first of his three home runs in as many career games, a feat accomplished by only three other big-league rookies upon their debuts.
“We all knew we had power, but just the ease he’s been able to get to the power has really stood out,” Barfield said. “We saw the work that he put in in spring training. You see the confidence that he has, and he’s got a long track record of being successful in Japan. So typically, that’s translated pretty well for guys to come over here. So I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but it’s been fun to watch.”
Murakami mashed 246 home runs across eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, including 56 in 2022 for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. While concerns about his strikeout rates drove down his price to the two-year, $34 million deal inked by general manager Chris Getz,
Some scouts also questioned his defense, but Murakami has made a few nice defensive turns at first base after a spring of tutelage under Sox third base coach Justin Jirschele. Murakami mostly played third overseas.
“He took a lot of pride in wanting to not only be a good offensive player, but be a good defensive player coming over here too. He’s really put the work in,” Barfield said. “He’s looking comfortable over there making some nice plays for us.”