Why did Munetaka Murakami sign with the White Sox? Japanese HR champion chooses Chicago over Red Sox

The biggest Japanese name on the MLB free agent market has made his decision with a surprising team.

The Chicago White Sox are signing 25-year-old slugger Munetaka Murakami to a multi-year deal, ESPN's Jeff Passan reports. Murakami will provide the White Sox with a young power hitter to go along with their young nucleus as the team tries to execute a rebuild.

While many people believed that Murakami would sign with a more-established team, the young hitter's market never truly materialized. This way, Murakami can get a taste of MLB pitching and potentially earn a bigger contract again while in his prime.

Here's a breakdown of why Murakami signed with the White Sox.

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Why did Munetaka Murakami sign with the White Sox?

Despite Munetaka Murakami's prolific stats in Japan, MLB teams appeared to have concerns about the 25-year-old free agent. Mainly, Murakami's strikeout rate, which was among the highest in the NPB, and his defensive issues at both first and third base provided the apprehension.

Murakami's strikeout rate "concerned some of the clubs" who were interested in the slugger, MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Sunday, adding that the White Sox are hoping Murakami "grows along with that young core" on the South Side. 

Therefore, with contenders wary of signing Murakami as a potential project, the Japanese slugger is headed to the White Sox instead. According to Jeff Passan, Murakami will play first base for Chicago next year, moving off of third base.

This will allow Murakami to attempt to establish himself at the major league level and hit the open market again in two years while he is still just 27 years old. As for the White Sox, Chicago is in rebuild mode and can afford to allow Murakami to take his growing pains while trying to adjust to Major League Baseball.

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Munetaka Murakami contract details

• Years: 2
• Total: $34 million

Chicago is signing Munetaka Murakami on a two-years, $34 million deal for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. With no opt-outs in the deal, Murakami will play on this contract for the next two seasons and become a free agent again at 27 years old, which could lead him to a bigger payday.

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Munetaka Murakami Japan stats

Munetaka Murakami played for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows while in Japan, producing high power numbers at a young age. His 22 season was special, as he hit 56 home runs, the most in a single NPB season by a Japanese-born player.

While Murakami's high strikeout rate wasn't as big of a deal in Japan, it could be an issue at the MLB level. But if he is able to overcome those issues, Murakami could be one of the best power hitters in the game.