Munetaka Murakami is a first baseman for the Chicago White Sox who signed a two-year, $34 million contract in December 2025 after being posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. Born in Kumamoto, Japan, Murakami played eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, where he hit 56 home runs in 2022 — breaking Sadaharu Oh's record for the most by a Japanese-born player — and delivered a walk-off double against Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic semifinal before homering against the United States in the championship game. In his 2026 MLB rookie season, Murakami has emerged as one of the most productive power hitters in the majors, has put up {{season_hr}} home runs through {{season_games}} games while slashing .{{season_avg}}/.{{season_obp}}/.{{season_slg}}. He homered in each of his first three career games, hit a grand slam in Sacramento, and set a record for the most home runs to begin a career before hitting a double or triple. Murakami plays first base for a White Sox team in the early stages of a rebuild.
Season-by-season performance, contract terms, and the complete archive.
| Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | CWS | 69 | 243 | 53 | 58 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 48 | 1 | 54 | 97 | .239 | .378 | .543 | .921 |
| Career Totals | — | 69 | 243 | 53 | 58 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 48 | 1 | 54 | 97 | .239 | .377 | .543 | .920 |
| Year | Salary |
|---|---|
| 2026 | $16,500,000 |
Career Total: $16,500,000 (1 seasons)
Average: $16,500,000
Salary data is available from 1985 onward.
TGN salary figures show base salary. Signing bonuses, accounting allocations, and luxury-tax values are listed separately where available.
Munetaka Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in December 2025, with a $1 million signing bonus.
Munetaka Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in December 2025, with a $1 million signing bonus. His salary is $16 million in 2026 and $17 million in 2027. He is projected to become a free agent after the 2027 season. The contract was viewed at the time of signing as modest for a player of Murakami's NPB pedigree, with contact concerns cited as the primary factor that limited his market. Through 69 games of his rookie season, Murakami has 22 home runs, slashing .239/.378/.543 with 48 RBI. That production has reframed the contract from a calculated risk into one of the more favorable early-season values in baseball. For a White Sox organization in the early stages of a rebuild, the structure — two guaranteed years and a path to free agency after 2027 — means the front office will face decisions about Murakami's long-term future well before the contract expires.
Munetaka Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in December 2025, with a $1 million signing bonus. His salary is $16 million in 2026 and $17 million in 2027. He is projected to become a free agent after the 2027 season. The contract was viewed at the time of signing as modest for a player of Murakami's NPB pedigree, with contact concerns cited as the primary factor that limited his market. Through 69 games of his rookie season, Murakami has 22 home runs, slashing .239/.378/.543 with 48 RBI. That production has reframed the contract from a calculated risk into one of the more favorable early-season values in baseball. For a White Sox organization in the early stages of a rebuild, the structure — two guaranteed years and a path to free agency after 2027 — means the front office will face decisions about Murakami's long-term future well before the contract expires.
| Date | Opp | Result | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | K | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26 | vs HOU | 12-3 W | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 25 | vs HOU | 1-4 L | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 24 | vs HOU | 5-9 L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 22 | @ TEX | 4-2 W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Jul 21 | @ TEX | 0-10 L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 20 | @ TEX | 10-3 W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 19 | @ TOR | 3-0 W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 18 | @ TOR | 0-1 L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 17 | @ TOR | 12-4 W | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 12 | vs OAK | 9-1 W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Split | G | AB | H | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs LHP | 0 | 55 | 9 | 5 | 0 | .164 | .783 |
| vs RHP | 0 | 175 | 46 | 16 | 0 | .263 | .974 |
| Home | 0 | 122 | 27 | 12 | 0 | .221 | .905 |
| Away | 0 | 123 | 31 | 10 | 0 | .252 | .927 |
| Day | 0 | 102 | 16 | 7 | 0 | .157 | .685 |
| Night | 0 | 141 | 41 | 14 | 0 | .291 | 1.053 |