The Boston Red Sox haven’t landed their big bat yet this offseason, but Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has made it clear-they’re not done shopping for power. With Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber already off the board, the market’s thinned at the top. Still, there are intriguing options out there, and one name drawing attention is Munetaka Murakami, the slugging infielder from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Murakami isn’t a household name in the U.S. just yet, but he’s been a force in Japan. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter has already launched 246 career home runs, including 22 in just 56 games last season for the Yakult Swallows. That kind of raw power doesn’t go unnoticed-especially by a Red Sox team looking to add thump to its lineup.
But like any international signing, Murakami comes with question marks. Power numbers in NPB don’t always translate cleanly to Major League Baseball.
The pitching is sharper, the velocity is higher, and the breaking stuff is nastier. One of the biggest concerns surrounding Murakami is his strikeout rate.
Over the past three seasons, he’s whiffed in nearly 29% of his plate appearances. That’s a red flag for some scouts, who worry that number could climb even higher against MLB arms.
Still, the upside is undeniable. Murakami’s accolades speak for themselves: four-time NPB All-Star, two-time Central League MVP, a Triple Crown winner, and twice the league’s home run king. That’s not just talent-that’s dominance.
Positionally, Murakami brings some flexibility. He’s played the bulk of his NPB career at third base, but he’s also logged 263 games at first.
With the Red Sox reportedly making a strong push for Alex Bregman to lock down the hot corner, Murakami would likely slide over to first base in Boston. That would pair him with Triston Casas, giving the Sox a lefty-heavy tandem with serious pop-assuming Murakami’s bat adjusts to MLB pitching.
Defensively, he’s not going to win any Gold Gloves, but he’s serviceable. And in today’s game, if you can mash, you’ll find your way into the lineup.
The Red Sox are clearly in the market for a difference-maker, and while Murakami isn’t the safest bet, he might offer the kind of upside that’s worth gambling on. If Boston believes in the bat-and thinks the strikeouts can be managed-this could be a swing worth taking.