New York Mets free-agent target and Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million deal to join the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
The deal comes just one day before the 25-year-old’s deadline to sign with an MLB team after being posted by his Japanese club, the Yakult Swallows. Had he not agreed to a deal by 5 p.m. ET on Monday, he would have been forced to go back to Japan for the 2026 season.
Murakami had been personally scouted over the summer by Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, and with their first-base situation still very much in flux after letting Pete Alonso walk to the Baltimore Orioles earlier this month, such a signing would have made sense.
Instead, the Mets still have major question marks hovering over their roster after signing career middle infielder Jorge Polanco, who will be slated to get at-bats as a first baseman and designated hitter.
Murakami would have provided notable risks, but the raw tangibles were still an attractive option. He hit an NPB record 56 home runs in 2022 and remained one of Japan’s premier sluggers. His defense, however, is seen as a major weakness, as his glove at third and first base is not yet deemed passable. He also struggles with plate discipline — his strikeout rate hovered near 30% — and on pitches above 93 mph.
A two-year deal, though, provides an opportunity for Murakami to bet on himself. If he is able to figure it out in the majors, he will hit the open market once again at 27 years old and would be in a far better position to sign a long-term, big-money deal.
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