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In a significant move for their rebuilding roster, the South Side team have officially added infielder Munetaka Murakami, agreeing to a two-year contract with the accomplished player.

Financial Terms and Added Benefits

The agreement features a seven-figure signing bonus, issued within 30 days, alongside annual pay of sixteen million for the 2026 season and seventeen million for the final year.

Importantly, Murakami's compensation can increase based on award achievements in 2026:

• A seven-figure bonus for being named the league MVP award.
• $500K for finishing in the top three in MVP voting.
• $250K for finishing fourth through 10th.
• $250,000 for earning the top rookie honor.

The agreement provides that he will not be optioned to the minors without his permission and makes him a unrestricted player at the termination of the term. Further benefits include a club-supplied interpreter and airfare between the U.S. and Japan.

Compensation and Team Legacy

As part of the acquisition, Chicago is obligated to provide a compensation payment of $6,575,000 to the Swallows, Murakami's longtime team in Japan's Central League. The Japanese club get a 15% cut of any triggered performance bonuses.

Murakami joins the ranks as the fourth player from Japan to play for the Chicago franchise, in the footsteps of pitcher Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Of note, Takatsu was a manager for Murakami back in Japan.

Player Profile

Murakami, a left-handed hitter who will turn 26 soon, bolsters a promising core of hitters in Chicago that also features prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are coming off a 60-102 season, placing at the bottom in the American League Central but showing a significant improvement from the previous campaign.

Having earned league MVP honors in consecutive seasons, Murakami is famous for a historic 2022 season where he hit 56 homers, eclipsing the all-time record for a Japanese-born player formerly held by legend Sadaharu Oh. That year also made him the youngest player ever to secure Japan's prestigious batting Triple Crown.

His most recent NPB campaign was shortened to a partial schedule due to an side strain. Despite recording 64 Ks, he batted .273 with 22 HRs and 47 runs batted in.

Over his career tenure with the Yakult club, Murakami has compiled a .270 batting average with 246 home runs, 647 runs batted in, and 977 strikeouts in nearly 900 games. He started playing primarily at first base, he has since transitioned to third base.

International Pedigree

Murakami's heroics were on global view during the 2023 WBC. In the semifinal against Mexico, he delivered a game-ending double that scored teammates for a thrilling 6-5 victory. The very next day in the championship game against the USA, he hit a tying home run in the second inning, setting the stage for Japan's subsequent championship win.

The new White Sox addition is set to be unveiled at a press conference on Monday.