Munetaka Murakami’s road back to the White Sox is heading through a minor league rehab assignment.
Manager Will Venable said before Thursday’s series opener in Cleveland that the first baseman will go on a rehab stint before returning to the major leagues, though he stopped short of giving any kind of timeline for when Murakami will be back in Chicago.
Murakami has been out since late May because of a hamstring injury. The White Sox have handled his recovery carefully, and the rehab assignment is the expected next step before he reenters the big league roster. That came after some internet buzz Thursday morning suggesting he might be close to a straight return after being tagged “day-to-day” by Rotowire.
The plan is designed to get Murakami back into game action and let him rebuild strength and timing in a controlled setting before he returns to the lineup. His time in Charlotte could be short, much like Kyle Teel’s recent stop there before he came back to the Sox active roster.
Murakami has been a major source of offense for the White Sox this season, with 20 home runs in just 57 games. That kind of production has put him on a historic pace, and his return would add another power threat in the middle of the order as the White Sox keep fighting for the AL Central.
For now, the only clear sign is that a return is getting closer. The team hasn’t put a date on it, but the move to rehab work suggests Murakami’s comeback is approaching.
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