A Japanese slugger's decision bolsters the White Sox, leaving the Mets scrambling for infield solutions after losing their star first baseman.
The New York Mets have work to do regarding their infield this offseason, especially after losing first baseman Pete Alonso to the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million contract. Suddenly, New York has a massive, polar bear-sized hole to fill at first, as well as questions to answer at third base.
One possible solution to fix the issues in New York’s corner infield was to sign Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami in free agency. Murakami, who played with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, showed his ability as both a third baseman and first baseman. Before Alonso’s departure, Murakami could have slotted in at third base, and in the case Alonso left, his power bat would have been a great replacement for Alonso’s.
Unfortunately for the Mets, neither of those scenarios will be coming to fruition, as Murakami has signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the Chicago White Sox. The Japanese star will be taking his 1.051 OPS, .659 slugging bat to the White Sox on a surprisingly small contract instead of landing the big deal that was expected.
This leaves New York still without a replacement at first base and raises questions surrounding its third base options. It was reported after the Alonso-Orioles signing that the Mets could opt for a platoon at first, with Jeff McNeil leading the way. McNeil played most of his games at second base and in the outfield last season for the Mets, but has made three appearances at first. It certainly isn’t an exciting replacement at first, but the Mets are desperate right now.
Murakami’s bat could have provided that much-needed excitement at first base in Alonso’s absence, softening the blow of the loss of their franchise player. Instead, the Mets will need to either continue with their platoon plan or make a move in free agency or on the trade market.
New York’s third base position could have also used some help, with the Mets currently relying on Mark Vientos. Vientos had a breakout 2024 campaign, posting an .837 OPS in 111 games. He followed that up with a greatly disappointing 2025, where his bat fell below league-average. His final slash line reads .233/.289/.413 with a .702 OPS.
The Mets will hope for a resurgence from Vientos in 2026, as they have bigger holes on their roster to fill before addressing third base, such as first base, starting pitching, and their outfield depth. A potential Murakami signing would have taken some weight off the shoulders of New York, but perhaps they weren’t willing to pull the trigger on a player with no MLB experience. The hope in New York is that there is a bigger plan at work behind the scenes.