New York eyes Japanese slugger "Babe Ruth," a premier power bat. Could this game-changer solidify their World Series pursuit?
With Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami being posted for MLB teams, there should be a flurry of interest.
He is known as the "Japenese Babe Ruth" and is a home-run hitter who is just 25 years old.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed the top seven teams that could be interested in him, and here is the order:
- New York Mets
- New York Yankees
- Boston Red Sox
- Seattle Mariners
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Los Angeles Angels
Yes, the Mets are at the top of the list for a number of reasons.
Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns even personally scouted him in Japan this season, and that shows how strongly they feel about him.
Here's what Kelly wrote about the Mets as the top team:
"That alone doesn't mean that the Mets are definitely going to sign Murakami, but it's a pretty good indication that New York will be in on him this offseason," Kelly said.
"Pete Alonso is once again a free agent after hitting 38 home runs this past season. It seemed last winter like Alonso was more interested in the Mets than they were in him. With his 2025 production, he'll surely get four guaranteed years this offseason, if not more. If the Mets don't feel comfortable giving that deal to a player who will turn 31 in December, Murakami would be a pretty nice pivot," Kelly added.
In a perfect world, the Mets bring back Alonso, and Steve Cohen still shells out the cash for Murakami.
At this point, finding a way to get to the World Series is something the Mets are earnestly trying to do, and Cohen has not been afraid to spend money in recent years.
"Even if the Mets do bring back Alonso, you can't discount the possibility of Steve Cohen also opening up the checkbook after missing the postseason altogether in 2025. Murakami could co-exist with Alonso, instead pushing Mark Veintos at third base and getting DH at-bats. Adding Murakami might also make it easier to have Alonso DH on a more consistent basis," Kelly concluded.
A lineup with Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Murakami and Alonso would be a formidable one for National League opponents.
On the other hand, investing that much money into the lineup and not addressing the pitching woes might be a puzzling idea, but you never know what will happen in Queens.