Munetaka Murakami's prolonged second-half struggles have given the Chicago White Sox reason to reconsider their approach to a potential long-term deal.
A contract extension between the Chicago White Sox and first baseman Munetaka Murakami once felt like a given.
Chicago landed Murakami on a two-year, $34 million contract during the offseason and seemed to have found a diamond in the rough by betting on his light-tower power.
Murakami started his rookie campaign as one of the best power hitters in Major League Baseball. It earned him a spot in the MLB Home Run Derby and a selection to the American League All-Star team. And it was there in Philadelphia, on the All-Star Game red carpet, that Murakami discussed staying with the White Sox long term.
The early fear for White Sox fans was that Murakami would continue his rapid success but, because of the two-year deal, could leave Chicago in the middle of a contention window for a higher-paying suitor.
Murakami's comments did a lot to ease that concern. The Japanese superstar didn't mince words when discussing how much he loved being a member of the White Sox and how motivated he was to re-sign with the team on a contract extension.
Even White Sox general manager Chris Getz went against the typical grain. In a world where general managers and teams often have commitment issues when it comes to their public-facing comments, Getz admitted that the White Sox had already held conversations with Murakami regarding an extension.
Had you asked me two months ago, I'd have been incredibly confident in the White Sox signing Murakami to a long-term extension during the early stages of the upcoming offseason. Even if the team didn't go out and spend on other big-ticket additions, extending Murakami would have carried value both for the on-field product and from a PR standpoint, giving the White Sox something significant to sell to their fan base this offseason.
However, it now seems the White Sox have changed their tune following Murakami's underwhelming play as of late.
Murakami's Second Half Struggles
Since the start of August, things have gone a bit sideways for Murakami. He's played in 47 games and, over 168 at-bats, is batting just .137 with a .611 OPS. Even more concerning are the 84 strikeouts in those 168 at-bats.
That's exactly 50 percent.
There have also been changes to his attack angle and setup at the plate, which could be contributing to the issue.
There's no doubt that Murakami's power plays. And with everything we've seen in 2026, there's still a pretty good chance he'll right the ship and be a prolific power threat in Major League Baseball for many years.
But his prolonged struggles still present an issue for the White Sox. Having a middle-of-the-order bat disappear for multiple months can be detrimental to a team, and this stretch makes it incredibly difficult to pin down exactly what Murakami's long-term value should be.
How are the White Sox supposed to extend Murakami when they don't know which version of him will show up down the line?
White Sox Have Every Reason To Wait
According to a recent rundown from MLB insider Bob Nightengale, “the White Sox say there is no urgency in signing Munetaka Murakami to a contract extension considering his recent struggles.”
And regardless of whether this is a genuine sentiment within the organization, it's exactly the right approach for the time being.
The White Sox have regained some leverage with Murakami's poor play in the second half. Combining that with a lack of internal urgency, Chicago may be hoping it can eventually sign Murakami at a discounted price this offseason.
That doesn't mean Murakami has to take the discounted price. He could always choose to bet on himself in 2027 and then seek a bigger deal in free agency, which could ultimately lead to an early end to his White Sox tenure.
But with so many unresolved variables, it only makes sense for the White Sox to change their tune on a Murakami extension.
Chicago has to enter negotiations this winter with as much leverage as possible. And unless Murakami is willing to sign at a price that accounts for the uncertainty surrounding his second-half struggles, the White Sox may need to see what he looks like in 2027 before dishing out a massive long-term deal.
