Despite Munetaka Murakami's scorching start and elite metrics, the White Sox have yet to initiate extension talks for their breakout slugger.
Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami did not receive much interest on the international market this past offseason.
That led to Murakami signing a two-year prove-it deal with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox were willing to take a chance on the 26-year-old by offering him a two-year, $34 million contract in free agency.
After just one month, it’s clear that the White Sox got an absolute steal in Murakami.
The White Sox first baseman is slashing .256/.398/.622 with 11 home runs, 20 runs scored, 20 RBI, and 22 walks in his first 26 career games. Those 11 home runs are tied for the Major League lead, and his 22 walks drawn rank third in the American League.
Murakami has been everything the White Sox have dreamed of. His power seems to be translating just fine to the Majors, and he has easily been Chicago’s best hitter in the early going.
There is also reason to believe that Murakami could keep up his strong numbers for the majority of the season.
The lefty slugger ranks in the 97th percentile in wxOBA (.433), 99th percentile in expected slugging (.657), 99th percentile in average exit velocity (96.4 mph), 100th percentile in barrel rate (25.5%), and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate (65.5%). Those elite metrics show just how impressive Murakami's start to the season has been.
That raises the question of whether the White Sox should look to extend Murakami. Although the 26-year-old won’t be a free agent until after the 2027 season, the front office should do all it can to keep the slugger in Chicago beyond the 2027 campaign.
He has really become the face of the team in a short time and has become so popular within the White Sox fan base after just one month. Those are the type of players that Chicago should be looking to keep around for the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, the White Sox have not had any extension talks with Murakami. General manager Chris Getz said before Friday’s 5-4 win that the team has not approached him for such talks yet.
"Obviously, he’s gone out there and performed really well, quickly in his White Sox career," Getz told reporters. "Our goal from the beginning is making sure that he can just go out there and be comfortable and be himself, knowing that if he can get comfortable, he can be a productive Major League player.
"[We] certainly don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but what he has done so far has been really impressive. I’m just happy for Mune, and certainly we feel fortunate that he’s in the lineup with us."
Hopefully, these extension talks do eventually happen between the White Sox and Murakami. Locking him up beyond the 2027 season would be a massive move.