![\"White](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CTC-SOX-NATIONALS-042426-15.jpg\")
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami swings for a home run against the Nationals in the fourth inning Friday, April 24, 2026, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\nMunetaka Murakami felt his swing was in a \u201cpretty good\u201d spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s still early in the season, so I still have to keep adjusting to the pitchers,\u201d the slugger said through an interpreter Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field in Phoenix. \u201cRight now, I\u2019m swinging really well.\u201d<\/p>\n
That might be an understatement.<\/p>\n
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami swings for a home run against the Nationals in the fourth inning Friday, April 24, 2026, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n
Murakami homered for the sixth time in seven games Friday in a 5-4 victory against the Washington Nationals<\/a> at Rate Field.\u00a0The first baseman entered Saturday tied with the Houston Astros\u2019 Yordan Alvarez for the major-league lead with 11 home runs.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest, I\u2019m not really looking into one particular stat,\u201d Murakami said Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s more focused with the ability to swing my swing and concentrate on the swing itself. If the stats do come up as all good, that will be wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n The stats have been impressive.<\/p>\n With the 11 home runs, Murakami tied Paul Konerko (2010) for the most by a Sox hitter in franchise history during March\/April. And it\u2019s the most home runs in March\/April by a rookie in major-league history.<\/p>\n Murakami is just the fifth major-leaguer since at least 1900 to record 11 home runs in their first 26 games, joining Aristedes Aquino (12, 2018-19), Rhys Hoskins (12, 2017), Gary Sanchez (11, 2015-16) and George Scott (11, 1966).<\/p>\n \u201cI think the thing about Mune is he\u2019s extremely consistent in his approach and the energy that he brings every day,\u201d manager Will Venable said Thursday in Phoenix. \u201cAnd so even when he wasn\u2019t hitting home runs five days in a row, he was coming to the ballpark with great energy and being a good teammate and working hard.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s an approach his teammates have noticed since Murakami arrived after spending the last eight seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with whom he hit 246 home runs.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has been that guy since Day 1,\u201d third baseman Miguel Vargas said Wednesday. \u201cHe works every day and does everything he has to get done. He goes out there and gets the results, he deserves it.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have this type of guy, you can learn. The type of unique guys. And for me, I just try to observe as much as I can from him and learn. And hopefully I learn how to hit the ball like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Murakami entered Saturday with a .256\/.398\/.622 slash line with 20 RBIs, 36 strikeouts, 22 walks and 20 runs in 26 games. His 173 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) is the third-best in baseball behind Alvarez (231) and Ben Rice of the New York Yankees (219).<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all about giving that best performance I can put out that day,\u201d Murakami said. \u201cThat\u2019s what I really focused on.\u201d<\/p>\n Murakami\u2019s accomplishments also include tying the Sox record with home runs in five consecutive games<\/a> from April 17-22 against the Athletics and Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so fun watching him do that,\u201d Vargas said. \u201cFor me, especially having him in the clubhouse, how great he\u2019s done his work, how professional he is. It\u2019s not a surprise to see that. But it\u2019s also unbelievable to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n Murakami enjoyed having his streak take place alongside a stretch of home runs in four straight games from Colson Montgomery and three consecutive from Vargas.<\/p>\n \u201cI really do agree that (hitting is) contagious,\u201d Murakami said. \u201cAnd for me, I\u2019m really happy that maybe I am getting the effect from the other players as much as I\u2019m giving to the other players as well. For the lineup to be really successful, it\u2019s giving me the power to hit more and more at a better result.\u201d<\/p>\n Murakami is adjusting well to adjustments from pitchers.<\/p>\n \u201cEarly on, there was a lot of fastballs that we saw, we saw some spin from the lefties that might have given him some trouble early,\u201d Venable said Saturday. \u201cHe\u2019s just making adjustments and seems to be covering them all. He\u2019s making it challenging for them.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that part of surviving in this league for everybody is just continuing to make adjustments, and how quickly you can make those adjustments really matters. We\u2019re seeing Mune really be able to make those quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n Roster moves<\/p>\n The Sox designated catcher Reese McGuire for assignment before Saturday\u2019s game and selected the contract of catcher Drew Romo from Triple-A Charlotte.<\/p>\n \u201cDrew\u2019s been doing a really good job offensively and defensively down there,\u201d Venable said. \u201cJust want to see if we can get more production out of that (catching) spot, see if that tandem can do something to push (catcher Edgar) Quero, to just get us more offense from that spot.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"White](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/CTC-SOX-NATIONALS-042426-19.jpg\")
White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami celebrates after hitting a home run against the Nationals in the fourth inning on April 24, 2026, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n