The "Village God" Munetaka Murakami flashes a limited-edition, discontinued Patek Philippe on the All-Star red carpet.

"Village God" Munetaka Murakami earned a spot in the All-Star Game during his debut season in the majors. On July 15, he wore a white suit paired with jeans on the pre-game red carpet, intentionally displaying a Patek Philippe timepiece on his left wrist. Because the watch is a limited edition and no longer in production, its resale value now stands between 6 million and 7.5 million New Taiwan Dollars.

Murakami wore a Patek Philippe Nautilus model 5711/1R-001, crafted entirely from 18K rose gold, featuring a brown-black gradient dial and luminous hands. Its official retail price before discontinuation in 2022 was 1.725 million New Taiwan Dollars. Due to its rarity and being out of production, it now commands a premium on the second-hand market. According to the international watch platform Chrono24, the second-hand price of the watch Murakami wore ranges from $180,000 to $200,000 USD, depending on its condition.

On May 30, Murakami suffered a leg strain while running the bases and was placed on the injured list, resting for six weeks before returning to the majors on July 11. Before his injury, he had hit 20 home runs, becoming the second Japanese player after Shohei Ohtani in 2018 to record at least 20 home runs in a rookie season. Murakami had a chance to challenge Ohtani's record of 22 home runs for a Japanese rookie in a single season, but was beaten to it by Kazuma Okamoto, who also debuted in the majors this year.

In addition to being selected as a replacement for the American League All-Star team, Murakami also participated in the Home Run Derby in his first year in the U.S. Unfortunately, he hit only 9 home runs in the first round and failed to advance to the top four, thus being eliminated. Despite his early exit, Murakami still received a $150,000 prize for participating. Japanese media reported today that Murakami stated he would distribute the entire prize to the support staff who have been with him along the way, as a gesture of gratitude.

Murakami is the second Japanese player to take part in the MLB Home Run Derby, following Shohei Ohtani in 2021. Five years ago, Ohtani also gave away the $150,000 he earned from the derby to about 30 team staff members. Following in his predecessor's footsteps, Murakami is also giving back the prize money to his support team. When asked about the recipients, Murakami said the money will go to the batting practice pitcher, interpreter, strength coach, and even his personal chef, and he made it clear he will not keep any portion for himself.

When pressed by the media, "Truly not keeping a single cent?" Murakami replied with a smile, "Of course, I still need to handle the taxes first."

As for whether he would like to challenge the Home Run Derby again in the future, Murakami said, "If I get another chance, I will definitely try my best again."

Murakami entered the All-Star Game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the seventh inning and came to bat for the first time in his All-Star career in the top of the ninth, facing San Diego Padres flamethrower Mason Miller. Against four-seam fastballs that all exceeded 100 mph, Murakami eventually struck out. After the game, he took the experience positively: "Though I was unlucky, it was a very valuable experience for me to see that level of velocity at this moment."