With a 45-day negotiation period winding down, the Chicago Cubs have an opportunity to gamble on a Japanese superstar entering his prime.
Anytime a Japanese star is posted by their NPB club and plans to make the jump to Major League Baseball, the process comes with a sense of urgency. Players are given a 45-day window to negotiate with MLB teams and choose their next home.
It’s one of the few moments in baseball’s marathon offseason where free agency actually comes with a shot clock.
For slugging first baseman Munetaka Murakami, that clock has been ticking for a while now.
Murakami’s arrival in MLB has felt inevitable ever since his historic 2022 season, when he launched 56 home runs and drove in 134 runs as a 22-year-old. Even then, it was clear Japan had its next superstar.
Now 25 years old (26 by Opening Day), Murakami has officially been posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and is set to make his MLB debut in 2026.
The only question remaining is what team he'll be playing for.
Despite the lack of buzz surrounding Murakami since free agency opened, we’re actually on the doorstep of an answer. He faces a 5 p.m. ET deadline on December 22 to decide on a team — 45 days from the moment he was posted.
By this time next week, Murakami will have agreed to terms on a contract. What that deal looks like — and which teams are involved — remains a mystery.
Maybe it’s time for the Chicago Cubs to surprise some people.
The Cubs enter this offseason facing a familiar challenge: replacing the offensive production of Kyle Tucker while also creating runway for their next wave of young talent. Balancing immediate contention with long-term development is no easy task for Jed Hoyer and his front office.
On one hand, Chicago doesn’t want to block its young players. Cost-controlled talent and club-friendly contracts are the lifeblood of sustainable success.
On the other, the Cubs were one game short of reaching the NLCS in 2025 and were eliminated by a division rival. If they want to keep pace with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League, they need to enter 2026 with a better roster than they had a year ago. With Tucker’s departure already assumed, that won’t happen by standing still.
We’ve seen Chicago linked to Kyle Schwarber before he returned to the Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal. We’ve seen them connected to third basemen like Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suárez — both proven upgrades.
But the Cubs have also made it clear they believe in Matt Shaw, who shined in the second half of 2025 and plays excellent defense at third base.
So maybe the answer isn’t locking in one of those veteran infielders.
Maybe it’s Murakami.
The left-handed slugger could split time between third base and designated hitter, while also spelling Michael Busch at first base when needed. Add in the appeal of hitting alongside fellow Japanese star Seiya Suzuki, and Chicago suddenly looks like a compelling landing spot.
There are risks, of course. MLB evaluators remain split on Murakami’s profile, particularly whether his swing-and-miss tendencies will be exposed by elite velocity that simply isn’t as prevalent in Japan.
But that uncertainty might be exactly what makes him the right kind of gamble for the Cubs.
If it works, Chicago lands a 35-homer left-handed bat who is just entering his prime at 26 years old.
If it doesn’t, the Cubs still have Shaw ready at third base, with Owen Caissie and Moisés Ballesteros waiting in the wings for regular at-bats. A miss wouldn’t cripple the roster. If Shaw doesn't take the next step, Murakami can play third. But if he breaks out, Murakami can go to DH while Suzuki holds down right field on a daily basis.
Maybe this is a pipe dream. There may be cleaner fits for Murakami on paper.
But the Cubs aren’t a bad option — and the best part is, we won’t have to wait long to find out.
By this time next week, the answer will be in.