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Munetaka Murakami has a funny handshake with compatriot Miguel Vargas. He playfully agreed that a magic wand routine with teammate Mike Vasil helped him smack another home run. His No. 5 jersey dots the stands at Rate Field.
The Japanese slugger wasn’t supposed to end up with the Chicago White Sox. But it’s working pretty well at the moment.
Murakami seems right at home with a promising group of young Chicago players, and they have crushed the ball so far this season. Murakami has an AL-leading 17 homers and a team-high 32 RBIs in Sunday’s action, and the surprising White Sox are tied for second in the majors with 66 total home runs.
“It’s the complete team, from one to nine. They feed off each other,” Murakami said through his interpreter, Kenzo Yagi. “It’s a big confidence booster to see other players getting good results. I just want to be that contributor, contribute to the lineup and contribute to the team’s wins.”
Murakami’s 17 home runs are tied for third among players in major league history through his first 45 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He appeared in a record eight consecutive series openers from April 14 to May 8.
When Murakami steps to the plate, one of baseball’s three true outcomes is the likely outcome. He also ranks among the major league leaders with 36 walks and 66 strikeouts.
“He’s a superstar. There’s no other way to do it,” White Sox pitcher Davis Martin said. “You play against guys like (Mike) Trout, you play against guys like (Aaron) Judge and Yordan Alvarez and he does the same things they do. It’s an incredible thing to watch.”
Murakami is the fourth player of Japanese descent to play for the White Sox, joining Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07) and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Takatsu managed Murakami in Japan.
“He had to make a ton of adjustments to get comfortable,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And I know it’s probably not easy for him. So yeah, he’s just a guy that has that flexibility to go into different environments and then feel comfortable and I think that speaks a lot to his character and who he is.”
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Murakami, 26, was the Central League MVP in 2021 and 2022. He was limited to 56 games last season because of an oblique injury, but he hit .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs.
It entered the MLB posting system in November. When the market was lighter than expected — there were overblown concerns about his ability to handle speed — the White Sox signed the slugger to a two-year, $34 million contract in December.
During Murakami’s fast start this season, White Sox general manager Chris Getz fielded some glowing calls from other general managers.
“A general manager said ‘Congratulations, you beat the industry on this one,'” Getz said, “so that was nice to hear, and it worked and you know, we’re really excited to have him in a White Sox uniform and he’s helping us win baseball games.”
Murakami arrived late for his first spring training game after getting stuck in traffic. But it was smooth sailing most of the time.
He hit a solo home run in his first three regular season games. He crushed a 431-foot grand slam in a 9-2 victory at the Athletics on April 17, beginning a five-game winning streak. He hit a three-run shot in an 8-7 win over the Angels last month.
While Vasil continued to wave a magic wand in the White Sox dugout, Murakami went deep twice in his first career multihomer game Saturday night against the crosstown Cubs.
He no longer surprises anyone.
“He’s a dangerous hitter and a guy you definitely have to be careful with,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
Murakami also wants to improve. He said his biggest challenge has been adjusting to new pitchers every day and he’s becoming more comfortable at first base.
Asked about his biggest challenge in moving to the majors, he paused and smiled.
“Compared to Japan, the environment here is totally different,” he said. “The space and the fields and everything is really nice. That’s the… biggest surprise.”
Associated Press reporting.
