That stove — it's hot! The MLB offseason picked up a bit of steam on Sunday morning, as 25-year-old Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami agreed to terms on a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox.
This is a huge victory for the Southsiders. Even if you're skeptical of Murakami's profile and how it translates stateside, he's at the beginning of his prime and this contract is exceedingly reasonable.
Why the White Sox signed Munetaka Murakami
If Murakami struggles and our worst fears are realized, Chicago is off the hook in two years. If he delivers on his immense promise, the White Sox either contend sooner than expected, have a prime extension candidate, or can float Murakami on the trade market for a significant return.
With that sort of upside, it's a wonder why better teams didn't dip their toes more seriously into the Murakami sweepstakes. Here's who missed out.
Philadelphia Phillies
If the Philadelphia Phillies sign Alex Bregman or Bo Bichette, I'll eat crow. But that feels exceedingly improbable at this point, with Alec Bohm in line for one final campaign at the hot corner before he hits free agency. Bohm is not a bad player — he doesn't strike out much, a trait Philly too often lacks — but he's such a weak bat in the cleanup spot, inclined toward singles and doubles, rather than doubles and home runs.
It doesn't help that Bohm also isn't a very good defender. He's probably still better than Murakami in that respect, as the 25-year-old projects as more of a first baseman than a third baseman long term. But still, the offensive upside with Murakami is substantially higher, and the Sixers desperately need someone other than Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper who can generate power.
On such a mild contract, Philly missed on a golden buy-low opportunity. Unlike the White Sox, the Phillies would be primed to extend Murakami if the swing translates. At worse, he's a slightly overpriced platoon bat for a couple years and then walks. Again, if the Phillies can aim higher, great. They should. But if the rest of this offseason boils down to re-signing JT Realmuto and finding a Zack Wheeler placeholder in the rotation, this will feel like a real whiff.
Colorado Rockies
The White Sox and the Colorado Rockies occupy a similar stratum of the MLB hierarchy. Both teams are dirt cheap and feel years away from any sort of meaningful contention. Chicago is definitely further ahead of the curve, but one has to wonder why the Rockies — for any non-financial reasons — wouldn't take a run at Murakami on such a nothing deal. The problem, of course, is that Colorado probably views two years, $34 million as an excessive expense, even when the return on investment is a potential 40-home run bat.
Just imagine, for a moment, if Murakami can refine his approach in MLB and lay off pitches out of the zone. He's going to strike out a bunch, but as long as he's not lapping the field in that department, a lot of that pop is going to show up. Now, imagine if Murakami's swing translates at Coors Field, in that crisp, thin mountain air. The dude might lead the National League in home runs.
Murakami can switch between third, first and DH — it's not like the Rockies have a ton of concrete, foundational bats right now. He couldn't ask for a better ballpark, and there's a good chance he'd at least sell a few jerseys and tickets as Colorado's first glitzy addition in years. Alas, we'll never know what could've been in the Mile High City.
Los Angeles Angels
So, the Los Angeles Angels were reportedly in the mix. Anaheim typically spends more than other bad teams and has a track record with Japanese stars (see: Ohtani, Shohei). You can almost call it a surprise that L.A. didn't match or exceed Chicago's offer, especially when there's so much pressure to deliver positive results in 2026. Kurt Suzuki inked a one-year contract as head skipper — a unique framework for a new manager, and one that puts an emphasis on winning as soon (and as much) as possible.
Murakami could very well flame out. The Angels also have a good thing going with Nolan Schanuel at first base and Mike Trout at DH, which limits their flexibility a bit. But even if he's a severe negative on defense, Murakami has the potential to deliver consistent power and run-scoring in the heart of a lineup. With Jorge Soler on the decline, this Angels lineup really lacks depth. Murakami was cheap — and probably pretty easy to lure to Anaheim, with a bit of effort.
If the Angels shock the world and aim higher — Cody Bellinger isn't an impossibility — then this becomes more understandable. But of all these teams, the L.A. squad in need of talent feels like the most obvious landing spot for a cheap and supremely talented Japanese star. There's a good chance the Angels come to regret this one.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates finally made their big splash earlier this week, acquiring Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum and Mason Montgomery from Tampa Bay in exchange for Mike Burrows, who went to Houston in a three-team swap. All three of those players should contribute to the Pirates next season — especially Lowe with his 30-home run pop.
Still, the Pirates need to keep stacking offensive talent if possible. This team is not ready to contend, even as Paul Skenes and the pitching staff blossom. The Pirates made an admirable four-year, $120 million offer to Kyle Schwarber, which fell flat. They have an opening at DH and third base especially, and Spencer Horwitz is not some hard-and-fast staple at first base. Murakami was a worthy upside swing. Especially since he, like so many other premium free agents, actually fell within Pittsburgh's price range.
The Pirates might keep chugging. Kazuma Okamoto and other compelling corner infield bats remain available, so perhaps this is just Pittsburgh picking its spots, so to speak. But given how this club tends to operate under Bob Nutting, it's wise to temper expectations and fair to wonder why the 25-year-old who hit 54 home runs in his age-22 season wasn't a bigger priority.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres were another team mentioned among the finalists for Murakami. Knowing AJ Preller's force of will as a GM, it's a bit shocking to see San Diego lose out to Chicago. Preller's hands are tied by the ongoing ownership dispute in San Diego, but the Padres just re-signed Michael King on a three-year, $75 millon deal. It's not like the Padres have ever been flat broke.
If Murakami was getting six years and $100 million, sure. Maybe that's too much — too great a risk — at this juncture in time. But at two years, $34 million, the risk-reward factor skews so heavily toward the latter. San Diego needs a proper first baseman with Ryan O'Hearn expected to sign elsewhere. Jake Cronenworth and Gavin Sheets can fill in, but both are better suited to other positions. There's a reason San Diego made that trade for O'Hearn at the deadline.
Murakami wouldn't face the same pressure to carry a lineup in San Diego that he might have in Denver, Anaheim, or perhaps even in Chicago. The Padres are one of the most explosive offensive units in MLB; Murakami would've been icing on the cake and a potentially profitable investment. Again, with minimal risk. This feels like a huge what-if for Padres fans, especially if San Diego ends up emptying its already-barren farm system for another first base rental at the 2026 deadline.