Munetaka Murakami, the powerful slugger from Japan's Yakult Swallows, has signed a two-year, $34 million contract with the Chicago White Sox.

Capturing the spotlight away from the Chicago Bears’ last-second win against the Green Bay Packers (NFL) in this windy city’s sports headlines is no easy task. However, the White Sox accomplished this on Sunday by formally announcing a two-year, $34 million contract with Japanese free agent and ex-Yakult slugger Munetaka Murakami.

Murakami will become a free agent after the 2027 season, bypassing salary arbitration. He will wear jersey number 5. The White Sox will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Central Time on Monday to officially introduce Murakami.

Murakami’s negotiation window began on November 7, providing a 45-day period during which all 30 MLB teams had the chance to engage with the 25-year-old prodigy. The signing deadline was Monday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time (4 p.m. Central Time).

Murakami was named the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Most Valuable Player in both 2021 and 2022, earned four All-Star selections, and was honored as the Central League Rookie of the Year in 2019. In 2021, he led the Tokyo Yakult Swallows to the NPB championship title.

Notably, Murakami delivered one of the greatest all-around offensive seasons in baseball history in 2022, especially with his power hitting. At 22, he smashed 56 home runs, breaking the single-season home run record for Japanese-born players previously held by the legendary Sadaharu Oh. He also won the triple crown with a .318 batting average, 56 homers, and 134 RBIs. His left-handed power hitting is exactly what the White Sox need.

This signing also marks the White Sox’s renewed presence in the international player market, where they once found success but have recently been absent. Previously, second baseman Tadahito Iguchi and closer Shingo Takatsu played key roles in the team’s 2005 World Series championship.

The White Sox are currently enduring a tough stretch with three consecutive 100-loss seasons, but since the last All-Star break, the team has shown signs of becoming more competitive and moving in the right direction. Additionally, through the draft lottery, the White Sox secured the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.

Murakami joins a growing core of young talent that already includes major league-level players such as shortstop Colson Montgomery, second baseman Chase Meidroth, catchers Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero, and right-handed pitchers Shane Smith and Grant Taylor.

Murakami’s career batting line stands at .273/.394/.550 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage). Over 1,003 games and 4,246 plate appearances, he has hit 265 home runs, 170 doubles, driven in 722 runs, drawn 678 walks, and struck out 1,068 times.

Murakami is about to begin his major league career following a 2025 season limited to 56 games due to an oblique injury. Upon his return, he posted his best performance since that historic 2022 season, hitting 22 home runs in those 56 games — with a home run rate even higher than in 2022 — while batting .273 with a .663 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.043.

As a left-handed power hitter with superstar potential, Murakami’s high ceiling made him one of the most anticipated free agents this offseason, though he has also been one of the most debated players.

The controversy mainly stems from a significant increase in strikeouts and swing-and-miss rates since his monster 2022 campaign, accompanied by declines in walk rate and on-base percentage. This has raised concerns about whether he can consistently make effective contact in MLB to fully harness his tremendous power, especially against the league’s more common high-spin fastballs and devastating breaking and off-speed pitches, where he has shown some vulnerabilities.

Moreover, questions remain about Murakami’s defense. In Japan, he primarily played third base and occasionally first base, but in MLB, he may spend more time as a designated hitter. Nonetheless, young international power hitters with top-tier potential like Murakami are rare in the market.

During the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Murakami had several standout moments against MLB-level pitchers and helped Japan secure the gold medal. In the championship game against the United States, he hit a 115.1 mph, 432-foot home run off Merrill Kelly of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the semifinals against Mexico, he delivered a 111.0 mph, game-winning double off Giovanny Gallegos of the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning, contributing to Japan’s comeback victory.