One of the biggest curveballs of the MLB offseason came out of the South Side of Chicago, where the White Sox pulled off a move few saw coming: signing Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami to a two-year, $34 million deal. For a franchise that’s rarely dipped into the Pacific Rim talent pool, this wasn’t just a roster move - it was a statement.
And it didn’t come easy.
White Sox GM Chris Getz admitted as much during Murakami’s introductory press conference. He worked hand-in-hand with the club’s marketing team to help convince longtime owner Jerry Reinsdorf of Murakami’s international value - both on the field and off it.
The result? A rare but calculated swing for a global star, one that could reshape the White Sox's identity in more ways than one.
But behind that headline-grabbing signing was a months-long effort that nearly fell apart more than once.
It all came to a head in the early hours of December 20. Getz was on a late-night Zoom call with Murakami’s reps at Excel Sports Management.
Just after midnight, the call wrapped. Murakami was in.
Getz picked up the phone and called Reinsdorf. The deal was done.
That moment, though, was the culmination of groundwork that stretched back to the middle of the 2025 season. David Keller, the White Sox’s top international scout, had traveled to Japan to get eyes on talent expected to be posted in the offseason.
Murakami quickly rose to the top of the list. Still, Getz admitted at the time he didn’t think landing him was realistic.
After all, the White Sox haven’t exactly been known for big international splashes, especially when it comes to Japanese players.
In fact, the last Japanese-born player to suit up for the White Sox was Kosuke Fukudome - and that was a brief 24-game stint back in 2012.
Murakami, meanwhile, was expected to command a hefty price tag, one that would typically be outside the White Sox’s comfort zone. But his resume was hard to ignore.
Over eight seasons with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami mashed 246 home runs, drove in 647 RBIs, and collected two MVP awards. He didn’t just lead Nippon Professional Baseball in power stats - he dominated, topping the league in home runs, RBIs, walks, slugging, and OPS.
And he’s still just 25.
He made his presence known early, hitting 36 bombs as a teenager in 2019. Then came his breakout in 2022 - a jaw-dropping 56-homer season that set the single-season record for a Japanese-born player.
So when he hit the open market, he wasn’t just another name in the mix. He was the name.
Even then, Getz and the White Sox didn’t go all-in right away. They kept evaluating other first-base options, knowing Murakami was a long shot.
But as his 45-day posting window ticked down, things shifted. On December 18, talks with Murakami’s camp picked up again.
By the following night, negotiations were rolling. And by the early hours of December 20, the White Sox were ready to close.
Finalizing the deal took some creative maneuvering. Murakami needed to complete a physical on short notice, so Getz reportedly called in a favor to secure an MRI at a local hospital. He also worked with Chief Marketing Officer Brooks Boyer to map out the potential business impact before presenting the final proposal to Reinsdorf.
That business angle isn’t just a footnote. It’s part of the reason the deal got done.
Teams have seen firsthand how international stars can move the needle - not just in the standings, but in the bottom line. The Dodgers, for example, reportedly recouped a significant chunk of their $700 million investment in Shohei Ohtani within two seasons, thanks to a massive boost in fan engagement and international interest.
Murakami isn’t Ohtani - few are - but he’s a proven star with a clutch gene. Just ask Team Mexico, who watched him rip a walk-off double in the World Baseball Classic to send Japan to the title game.
In total, the White Sox are on the hook for $40.5 million over two years - $34 million in salary and a $6.575 million posting fee to the Yakult Swallows. The average annual value clocks in at $17 million, a significant figure for a club that’s rarely played at this level of the international market.
But this isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about direction.
The White Sox have made a rare, bold move to bring in a legitimate international star - and they did it with purpose. From early scouting trips to late-night calls, from marketing strategies to medical logistics, this was a full-organization effort. And now, with Murakami in the fold, the South Side has a new face of the franchise - one with the power, pedigree, and presence to make a real impact.
It’s not just a new chapter for Murakami. It might be the start of a new era for the White Sox.