It didn’t take long for the Chicago White Sox to start poking around the first-base market this offseason.

Chicago has a glaring need at the position, along with a left-handed bat and a legitimate middle-of-the-order power threat. So why not try to check as many boxes as possible with one swing?

The Sox have already made contact with the representatives for free-agent first baseman Ryan O’Hearn — a steady offensive producer who also offers defensive versatility at first base and the corner outfield. On paper, it’s an easy fit… even if White Sox fans are hoping for something bigger.

Now that Josh Naylor is off the market and returning to Seattle, most fans would tell you they want the team to chase Munetaka Murakami — the Japanese superstar expected to be posted next offseason. I’ve had my concerns about Murakami, and maybe the Sox do too. But the club appears to be doing its homework on another Japanese slugger.

According to reports, the White Sox were one of six MLB teams scouting right-handed first baseman Kazuma Okamoto during a recent Japan–Korea exhibition series. The Phillies, Yankees, Padres, Angels, and Blue Jays were also in attendance. That’s stiff competition, no doubt. But it’s encouraging to see the Sox actually involved in the process.

Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) on X Scouts in attendance for today’s Japan vs. Korea exhibition game featuring 1B/3B Kazuma Okamoto: Phillies Yankees Padres Angels Blue Jays White Sox

Chicago has spent years ignoring the Japanese posting market entirely. Meanwhile, more and more NPB stars are coming over and immediately impacting MLB contenders. The Sox need to get with the times.

Unlike Murakami, Okamoto should land in a much more realistic price range for Chicago. One reason: he hits right-handed. While the Sox need lefty impact, right-handed power still plays — and Okamoto doesn’t need to check every box to make sense.

He doesn’t have Murakami’s eye-popping numbers, but Okamoto has been a consistent and legitimate middle-of-the-order presence in Japan. In 2025, he played in 69 games, launched 15 homers, and posted a 1.014 OPS. Over his 11-year NPB career, he’s hit 248 home runs with an .882 OPS. His best season came in 2023, when he crushed 41 home runs with a .958 OPS for the Yomiuri Giants.

The cost? ESPN projects a three-year, $36 million contract for Okamoto, plus a one-time posting fee just under $7 million. That’s extremely digestible for a player with his track record, especially one who turns just 30 in June. There’s far less long-term risk than you’d find with most free-agent sluggers.

One thing that jumps off the page is the plate discipline. His .411 OBP in 2025 was the highest of his career. With MLB’s tighter strike zone and more competitive at-bats leaguewide, that approach should travel well and raise his floor significantly.

Do I think this is the perfect fit for the White Sox at first base? Not necessarily. But it’s absolutely worth noting that Okamoto won’t break the bank. A three-year deal fits the current roster timeline, and Chris Getz has said the Sox are open to multi-year contracts when they make sense. With nothing of value coming through the minor-league pipeline at first base, this is exactly the type of value play that could give the Sox real production while the rest of the league focuses its energy (and money) on Murakami.

If the Sox are serious about improving without blowing up the payroll, Okamoto might be a swing worth taking.