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In a significant move for their retooling roster, the South Side team have officially added infielder Munetaka Murakami, agreeing to a two-year contract with the power-hitting player.

Deal Structure and Player Perks

The contract features a substantial signing bonus, issued within 30 days, in addition to annual pay of $16 million for the next season and $17M for the 2027 year.

Notably, Murakami's final-year pay can increase based on performance achievements in 2026:

• An additional $1M for winning the MVP award.
• $500,000 for finishing as runner-up or in third place in MVP voting.
• $250K for ranking between fourth and tenth.
• Another $250,000 for being named the Rookie of the Year honor.

His deal includes that he cannot be sent to the minors without his consent and grants him a free agent at the conclusion of the term. Additional perks include a dedicated interpreter and travel costs between the U.S. and Japan.

Posting Fee and Franchise History

As part of the signing, Chicago owes a transfer fee of $6,575,000 to the Yakult Swallows, Murakami's former team in Japan's professional league. The Swallows get a 15% cut of fifteen percent triggered incentive payments.

Murakami joins the ranks as the fourth Japanese-born to play for the Chicago franchise, in the footsteps of reliever Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and fielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Interestingly, Takatsu once managed Murakami while both were in Japan.

Career Highlights

Murakami, a left-side batter who will turn 26 in February, enters a young lineup in Chicago that includes prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The White Sox are finished with a last-place season, finishing last in the AL Central but representing a notable improvement from the year before campaign.

The winner of back-to-back Most Valuable Player honors in consecutive seasons, Murakami is renowned for a monumental 2022 season where he belted 56 home runs, surpassing the all-time record for a Japanese-born player formerly held by legend Sadaharu Oh. That performance also made him the most youthful hitter ever to achieve Japan's prestigious batting Triple Crown.

His last year was curtailed to a partial schedule due to an oblique injury. Despite fanning 64 times, he hit .273 with 22 homers and 47 driven in.

Over his eight-year tenure with the Swallows, Murakami has posted a .270 career batting average with 246 home runs, 647 runs batted in, and 977 Ks in 892 games. He started playing primarily at first, he has spent most of his time to the hot corner.

International Pedigree

Murakami's heroics were on global view during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In the penultimate game against Mexico, he hit a game-ending two-base hit that brought home teammates for a thrilling one-run win. The very next day in the title match against the USA, he slugged a game-tying home run in the early innings, paving the way for Japan's eventual championship win.

The new White Sox addition is scheduled to be officially presented at a press conference on Monday.