Munetaka Murakami is one of the more polarizing players available this winter, a record-setting Japanese power hitter set to cross the Pacific facing questions about his ability to translate his gaudy numbers to Major League Baseball.
Posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami has until Dec. 22 to agree to terms with an MLB team.
The 25-year-old has been one of Japan’s most prolific hitters since debuting as a teenager in 2018. His best year was 2022 when he hit 56 home runs with 134 RBIs, a .318 average and a 1.168 OPS. Murakami won his second Central League MVP award that season, going back-to-back after picking up the hardware – and a Japan Series title – in 2021.
His 56 home runs in 2022 remains the NPB record for a Japanese-born player, surpassing Sadaharu Oh’s previous record of 55 set in 1964. Murakami has primarily played third base, but the left-handed hitter has 266 NPB games at first base and could be used at both corners in addition to designated hitter in MLB.
Murakami played only 69 games in 2025, but his 29.5% strikeout rate in 2024 would have ranked among the 10 worst in MLB, striking out 180 times in 610 plate appearances.
Here are four potential suitors for Murakami:
New York Yankees
There are question marks around the infield for the Yankees, who surely would love to upgrade over Ryan McMahon at third base. You probably don’t want Murakami at the hot corner every day, but he wouldn’t struggle for at-bats and could fit into a nice rotation with McMahon and Ben Rice at first base.
A nine-figure deal for Murakami would look pretty bad in the worst-case scenario, but the Yankees can afford to take the risk on a player who could also turn out to be one of the most prolific power hitters in the game in a best-case scenario.
Chicago Cubs
Matt Shaw and Moises Ballesteros may become good players but Chicago needs to seize on this window in the NL Central and add a high-upside power hitter.
The Cubs have had recent success with Japanese imports Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, meaning they may be less gun-shy on Murakami than other suitors. And Murakami may end up signing a deal similar to the five-year, $85 million contract the Cubs signed Suzuki to before the 2022 season.
San Francisco Giants
Buster Posey is doing something or other in San Francisco and bringing in another slugging-type would certainly take some of the pressure off Rafael Devers and Willy Adames – who struggled in his first year with the Giants but became the club’s first 30-homer man since Barry Bonds.
Perhaps new manager Tony Vitello could have.Murakami and Devers split time at first base and DH? The Giants will probably continue to fail landing the most elite free agents, but Murakami is the tier that San Francisco needs to be targeting after a four-year postseason drought.
New York Mets
This is where Murakami’s Dec. 22 posting deadline makes things interesting. Will the Mets have a resolution on Pete Alonso before Christmas? If he leaves, how will the club replace the Polar Bear-sized hole in the lineup?
David Stearns and Co. are making run prevention a priority this winter, but DH looks to be a huge need – with or without Alonso – and Murakami could slot in there.
How the Mets rate Mark Vientos also figures into the equation, with the 25-year-old coming off a disappointing season.
