The White Sox have opened contract extension talks with Munetaka Murakami, who has hit 29 home runs and emerged as one of MLB’s premier power hitters during his first season in Chicago.
A two-year, $34 million contract for Munetaka Murakami is proving to be one of the best deals of the MLB offseason.
The Chicago White Sox took a chance on the Japanese slugger, betting that his power would translate to Major League Baseball. Recent slump aside, the White Sox have been proven right.
In 98 games this season, Murakami has hit 29 home runs. He was named an American League All-Star, participated in the MLB Home Run Derby, and has established himself as one of the best power hitters in the sport.
That's not to mention his overall marketability and the way he seems to fit in so well with his White Sox teammates.
The only question now is whether the White Sox can keep Murakami. Naturally, his two-year contract has generated plenty of discourse from the moment he signed, with some speculating that the White Sox could look to trade him rather than pay him, especially if the team found itself falling out of contention.
Fortunately, the White Sox are sitting in first place in the AL Central and have been since July 4. It is becoming clear that the South Siders are emerging from their rebuilding window and entering a period of contention. But that alone does nothing to resolve Murakami’s status beyond 2027.
The closer Murakami gets to his impending free agency, the more difficult it will be for the White Sox to bring him back. Waiting to address the situation during the 2027 season, when Murakami would be only a few months away from hitting the open market, would not be the ideal way to get a deal done.
The best move for the White Sox is to address a contract extension with Murakami during the 2026-27 offseason. In fact, it should be one of the first items on their checklist.
Murakami has already made his long-term feelings about the White Sox clear. During a red carpet appearance at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, he was asked to reflect on his decision to land in Chicago.
“It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. We have a winning squad and we’re just gonna keep continuing,” Murakami said.
Murakami was then asked if he would like to stay with the White Sox long term.
“Of course, yes,” he responded.
The door has always been open on Mune’s end. It now appears that the White Sox are taking steps to get something done.
For the first time, there is confirmation that the White Sox have engaged in contract extension talks with Munetaka Murakami.
“We would love to have him here long term. It seems that he has interest, and we do as well. We’ve had some conversations, but we’ll just leave it at that,” White Sox general manager Chris Getz said during a podcast appearance with the New York Post.
Make no mistake about it, the White Sox will have to do much more this upcoming offseason than simply extend Murakami. After watching this team contend in 2026, it has never been clearer how close the White Sox are to joining MLB’s top tier. The focus now should be supplementing this young core with an infusion of proven talent, even if doing so may feel like overkill.
Extending Murakami would be the first step toward winning back the trust of the fan base when it comes to free agency and payroll.
It is now confirmed that the White Sox are having that conversation and looking to get a deal done.
