Everybody in baseball knows the New York Mets will be targeting pitching this offseason via free agency and the trade market. What could go under the radar, however, is New York making a swing on the next potential Japanese superstar.

Corner infielder Munetaka Murakami has been posted and is ready for Major League Baseball. He spent eight seasons with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball. At just 25 years old, MLB teams will be all over the newest power bat coming over to the United States. In just 69 games last season with Yakult, Murakami made sure teams noticed his power, hitting 24 home runs. He finished the season with a slash line of .286/.392/.659 and an OPS of 1.051.

In a recent Bleacher Report article by Tim Kelly, the Mets were listed as the No. 1 team that could land Murakami in free agency. There is already clear evidence of interest in bringing Murakami to New York, as president of baseball operations David Stearns made the trip to Japan in August to watch Murakami play.

While this doesn’t mean that Murakami will prioritize the Mets by any means, it was an intentional move from the Mets, showing that they will undoubtedly pursue the slugger this offseason.

With questions surrounding the future of first baseman Pete Alonso after he recently opted out of his contract for 2026, Murakami could serve as a replacement for the Polar Bears’ bat. If Alonso does re-sign with New York, the possibility of signing Murakami could very well remain, as the team also needs an extra bat as a designated hitter.

“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," Kelly wrote. “Murakami could co-exist with Alonso, instead pushing Mark Vientos at third base and getting DH at-bats. Adding Murakami might also make it easier to have Alonso DH on a more consistent basis.”

The interest is clearly there from the Mets' perspective, but there are a few questions surrounding the likelihood of a Murakami-Mets deal. Would New York be willing to spend possibly $200 million on a Murakami instead of allocating those dollars into their much-needed rotation and bullpen? Even if that’s a yes from New York, it’s no secret that Japanese players like to land on the West Coast of the United States. It isn’t out of the realm of possibility for the Mets to lose out on the young slugger to a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers or Seattle Mariners simply because of location.

It will be a fun offseason for Mets fans either way, who will get to see their higher-ups invest in their roster yet again in hopes of making a deep playoff push in 2026.