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In a significant move for their rebuilding roster, the South Side team have signed infielder Munetaka Murakami, completing a $34 million contract for the power-hitting player.

Financial Terms and Player Perks

The deal features a seven-figure signing bonus, to be paid within 30 days, combined with compensation of $16M for the next season and $17M for the following year.

Additionally, Murakami's compensation may grow based on accolade achievements in 2026:

• A seven-figure bonus for winning the league MVP award.
• $500,000 for finishing in the top three in MVP voting.
• $250,000 for placing in the top ten.
• An identical bonus for winning the ROY honor.

The contract also stipulates that he cannot be assigned to the minors without his permission and makes him a free agent at the conclusion of the deal. Additional perks include a dedicated interpreter and airfare between the U.S. and Japan.

Transfer Payment and Franchise History

As part of the signing, Chicago is obligated to provide a posting fee of over $6.5 million to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami's previous team in Japan's NPB. The Japanese club get a 15% cut of 15% triggered salary escalators.

Murakami is set to become the fourth Japanese to suit up for the White Sox, in the footsteps of reliever Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Interestingly, Takatsu was a manager for Murakami back in Japan.

Player Profile

Murakami, a left-side batter who will turn 26 soon, joins a promising core of hitters in Chicago that also features prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are finished with a 60-102 season, placing at the bottom in the AL Central but showing a significant improvement from the previous campaign.

The winner of back-to-back Most Valuable Player honors in 2021 and 2022, Murakami is renowned for a record-breaking 2022 season where he belted 56 home runs, breaking the single-season record for a NPB hitter previously held by icon Sadaharu Oh. That feat also made him the most youthful hitter ever to win Japan's coveted Triple Crown.

His last year was curtailed to a partial schedule due to an oblique injury. Even with striking out 64 times, he still managed .273 with 22 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

Over his eight-season tenure with the Yakult club, Murakami has compiled a .270 career batting average with 246 home runs, 647 runs batted in, and nearly 1,000 strikeouts in 892 games. Initially playing mostly at first base, he has since transitioned to the hot corner.

WBC Heroics

Murakami's clutch hitting were on global view during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In the semi-final against Mexico, he delivered a victory-sealing two-base hit that drove in teammates for a come-from-behind one-run win. The very next day in the championship game against the United States, he blasted a tying shot in the early innings, setting the stage for Japan's subsequent 3-2 victory.

The lefty slugger is set to be unveiled at a media availability on Monday.