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▲ Munetaka Murakami has created a sensation by homering in each of his first three MLB games
[SPO.TV News = Kim Tae-woo] Shohei Ohtani, widely regarded as one of Major League Baseball’s best players, already holds the record for most career home runs by an Asian player despite having many prime years ahead of him. He’s widely expected to lead all Asian players in homers again this season.
But Ohtani has encountered a potent early-season challenger. Munetaka Murakami (26, Chicago White Sox), a younger compatriot from Japan’s national team, has opened the season with an eye-catching homer pace. The season is long, but expectations for Murakami are rising fast.
Murakami, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal with the White Sox before the season, has delivered a sensational major-league debut. Through March 30 (KST), he homered in all three games he’s played this season. He’s hitting .333 with a .538 on-base percentage, three homers, three RBIs, a 1.333 slugging percentage and a 1.871 OPS — a remarkable start.
Each ball looked perfectly struck. Exit velocities: 103.0 mph on the first homer, 102.9 mph on the second, and 102.1 mph on the third. It’s early, but those numbers suggest Murakami’s raw power can translate to the big leagues.
▲ After struggling on the market, Murakami looks ready to make teams that passed on him regret it
In Japan, Murakami once drew even more attention for his power than Shohei Ohtani. He hit 56 homers in the 2022 season — a single-season record in Nippon Professional Baseball — and that performance sparked widespread speculation he would head to MLB. After battling injuries in recent years, Murakami earned posting permission following the 2025 season and made the jump to the majors. Some projected a payday north of $100 million, even into the mid-$100 million range, given his age and upside.
Major-league clubs, however, were wary of Murakami’s high swing-and-miss and strikeout rates. Scouts also viewed his defense — limited to corner infield spots — as below average. The market ultimately produced a disappointing two-year, $34 million deal, a result that even prompted debates in Japan about the posting system. Murakami reportedly had offers for three- to four-year deals but chose the two-year route to prove himself and aim for a much larger free-agent payday down the line.
The contract looked modest, and his nine spring-training games produced a 0.771 OPS. Yet once the regular season began he’s been launching homers every day. Murakami is only the fourth player in MLB history to homer in each of his first three career games. Trevor Story is the only player to start his career with four straight homers (2016). Murakami will try to chase that mark in the next game.
▲ Murakami is proving that his power plays in the major leagues
U.S. media, which had viewed Murakami skeptically, have taken notice. Newsweek published a March 30 (KST) piece headlined, “Murakami could be the next Shohei Ohtani,” praising the slugger: “Taking a two-year contract may have been a brilliant move. Murakami became the most talked-about player during MLB’s opening weekend. This Japanese power hitter has been unloading homers — and he did it in all three games, including a road series against one of the league’s top clubs, the Milwaukee Brewers.”
Newsweek added, “Murakami doesn’t possess the defensive or overall athletic tools of Shohei Ohtani, a two-time MVP, but his raw power and extra-base ability invite comparison to that elite player. If he keeps up this pace, Murakami won’t just succeed individually — he could transform the White Sox franchise.” The piece noted the White Sox also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the next MLB draft, suggesting Murakami’s breakout could accelerate a rebuild.
Of course, teams will now spend more time exploiting Murakami’s weaknesses, and many analysts expect him to profile as a high-strikeout power bat. Still, if he can produce 30-plus homers despite the strikeouts, he’ll be extremely valuable. That would also boost his free-agent stock two years from now. Observers will be watching whether he can chase a memorable spot in MLB history.
▲ On the 31st, Murakami will attempt to extend his streak to four straight homers since his MLB debut
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