One of the most anticipated Spring Training arrivals will happen on Super Bowl Sunday.
White Sox director of hitting Ryan Fuller shared on Saturday’s episode of Inside the Clubhouse that Japanese first baseman Munetaka Murakami will report to the team’s Glendale, Arizona, facility tomorrow.
“We’re very excited to throw problems at Mune and see how he responds. He’s going to be arriving to the complex tomorrow, so excited to spend time with him, get inside his mind. And I think the thing to that we have to remember is this guy is one of the best hitters to ever come out of Japan.
“He’s come over, and he is ready to attack just like the guys before him. He’s seen the success of guys like Shoehei Ohtani, and he knows that there’s going to be a little bit of transition period getting adjusted to, not just the pitching, but life in the United States, the travel. Everything is going to be a little bit new, and we’re really excited to support him through that. And as problem comes up, the name of the game with hitting is making adjustments, and he’s surely going to do that.”
Murakami’s signing with the White Sox in December came as a shock to much of the baseball world. The 26-year-old will soon be making his Major League debut after eight seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Yakult Swallows of the Japan Central League. During that time, he established himself as a superstar, hitting .270/.394/.557 with 246 home runs across nearly 900 games.
His best season came in 2022, at the age of 22, when he slashed .318/.458/.710 over 141 games. In that same campaign, Murakami hit 56 home runs to break the record for most hits in an NPB season by a Japanese-born player. Murakami has reportedly been preparing to come to the United States since then, and his contract expired following his 2025 season.
The slugger, unfortunately, couldn’t attend last weekend’s SoxFest Live, but he provided fans with a brief message.
“Hi White Sox fans, I’m Munetaka Murakami. I unfortunately won’t be able to attend the fan fest this season. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at Spring Training and in Chicago. Go White Sox!
While this will be Murakami’s first Major League action, it will not be his first time facing non-Japanese competition. The slugger appeared in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, hitting a walk-off two-run double in the semifinal against Mexico and a crucial game-tying home run in the final against the United States, helping Japan ultimately capture the WBC Championship. Having already announced his commitment for the 2026 tournament, fans will likely get their first true glimpse of him as part of Team Japan, unless he appears in early Cactus League play.
The official report date for pitchers and catchers is Tuesday, February 10, with the Sox’s first full-squad workout set for Sunday, February 15. The team will open Cactus League play less than two weeks from today on Friday, February 20, at the Cubs, with the home opener at Camelback Ranch set for the following day against the Athletics.
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