Munetaka Murakami’s White Sox future could crash and burn for one reason

When the Chicago White Sox signed first baseman Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million contract in free agency, everyone was in shock.

Why did Murakami have to settle for so little? And how did the White Sox of all teams land one of the best Japanese sluggers ever?

There were plenty of questions about Murakami’s game, ranging from his struggles in making contact on high-velocity pitches to his pedestrian defense. Nevertheless, he was known as the “Japanese Babe Ruth” for a reason: the guy absolutely mashes, and he’s showing it thus far in 2026.

Through his first 42 big-league games, Murakami is slashing .228/.363/.537 with 15 home runs and 29 RBI, and he is one of the primary reasons why the White Sox have gone from bottom feeders to legitimate AL Central contenders.

If he keeps up this tremendous power display, he stands to far exceed the $34 million he received once he hits free agency after the 2027 campaign … but is his run sustainable?

Munetaka Mukarami’s Chicago White Sox future is cloudy

Right now, Murakami is incredibly exciting to watch, and during a recent interview with Sam Blum of The Athletic, the lefty slugger made it clear that he would love to remain in Chicago long term.

“If they do offer something and feel that they would want me still, I would love to have that talk,” Murakami said.

But is this just a honeymoon phase for Murakami and the White Sox?

The glaring holes that everyone saw in Murakami’s game when he was first coming to America are still there, and Blum made note of them in the piece.

“That in-zone contact rate is just 65.3 percent, significantly lower than the 82.6 percent big-league average,” Blum wrote. “He whiffs nearly 44 percent of the time, while the average is 25 percent. And if he does chase, there’s almost no chance it’s hitting wood. Murakami swings and misses more than anyone in baseball. And that may well catch up to him.”

It’s certainly been working for Murakami thus far, and his walk rate is definitely a positive sign. But you do have to wonder how Murakami — who leads the AL with 63 strikeouts — will adjust once major-league pitchers adjust to him. We are only a month-and-a-half into his MLB career, after all, so things could absolutely change.

While it’s worth noting that Murakami’s defense (0 DRS thus far) has actually been passable, it’s certainly fair to question if his bat will hold up long term, and that will absolutely affect his future in the Windy City.

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