Following in Shohei Ohtani’s footsteps? Munetaka Murakami changes his batting approach, blasting eight home runs during White Sox spring training.

During the offseason challenge in MLB, Munetaka Murakami, now playing for the Chicago White Sox, participated in his first outdoor batting session in spring training today and hit eight home runs. Murakami switched to a “no leg lift” style to better match the pitching tempo of MLB pitchers, a change regarded as a technical upgrade inspired by Shohei Ohtani, causing fans’ anticipation to surge.

What is even more noteworthy is Murakami’s modification of his batting motion. When he played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in Japan’s professional league, he used to start his swing by lifting his right leg; after moving to MLB, Murakami shifted to a “no leg lift” technique, minimizing extra movement to connect to his swing faster. This change is interpreted as a response to MLB pitchers’ smaller, more concealed preparatory motions, enhancing his immediate reaction to fastballs and breaking balls.

This transformation also brings Shohei Ohtani to mind. Ohtani himself used a leg lift mechanism early in his career but has stabilized his power hitting in recent years by adopting a “no leg lift” style, which has become his standard approach. Murakami’s current adjustment is seen as an evolution following the “Ohtani style.”

At 26 years old, Munetaka Murakami has hit a total of 245 home runs in Japan’s professional league, proving his undeniable power-hitting talent. Many fans on social media commented: “Looks great,” “It will be interesting to see if he adapts smoothly,” “The flight distance is incredible,” and “The results are coming too fast.”