A devastating Grade 2 hamstring strain sidelines the White Sox slugger, forcing a massive infield reshuffle as Chicago fights to stay afloat without their power hitter.
The Chicago White Sox will be without star first baseman Munetaka Murakami for quite some time.
Murakami left Friday’s game against the Tigers with a hamstring injury after beating out a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the third inning. He appeared to be in some discomfort as he was running down the line and was immediately removed from the contest.
Unfortunately, the MRI revealed a worst-case scenario for both Murakami and the White Sox. The Japanese slugger has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will be out for the next four to six weeks.
Losing Murakami for this period of time is a huge loss. His power has really reshaped this White Sox offense, and his bat in the lineup will be missed.
The 26-year-old first baseman slashed .240/.378/.560 with 20 home runs, four doubles, 43 runs scored, 41 RBI, and 44 walks across 57 games before his injury. Those 20 home runs are tied with Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead, and his 43 runs scored are the most in the American League.
The four- to six-week timeline means Murakami could miss the next 30-35 White Sox games. There’s a chance that he could be back in late June, but there’s also a chance that Chicago keeps him sidelined through the All-Star break.
If Murakami's recovery is closer to the six-week timeline, he would be on track to return the week of July 6. With the All-Star break set to begin on July 13, the White Sox could just decide to be extra cautious with their young first baseman and hold him out until after the break to give him more time to recover.
The White Sox will not rush back Murakami from this injury, especially since it is a hamstring strain. Soft-tissue injuries are always tricky, and the South Siders will make sure he is fully healthy before activating him.
With Murakami on the shelf for an extended time, Miguel Vargas will likely see more chances at first base. Vargas started there on Saturday, and Colson Montgomery moved over from shortstop to third base as the White Sox reshuffled their infield.
This reshuffling of the infield sets the way for prospect Jacob Gonzalez to get consistent playing time moving forward. The White Sox’s No. 23 prospect was called up to replace Murakami on the active roster and should get plenty of run in the lineup.
The White Sox are hoping to stay afloat until Murakami returns in late June/early July.
