The White Sox aren’t blinking on Munetaka Murakami just yet.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Chicago has “no urgency” to lock up the Japanese slugger to a contract extension while he’s grinding through a rough stretch at the plate. Nightengale’s Sunday notebook pointed to a brutal run of production: .107 with 54 strikeouts in 103 at-bats over his last 29 games.
That slump has cooled the buzz around an extension after Murakami’s power-heavy first season on the South Side. Adrian White of the White Sox beat highlighted Nightengale’s report Sunday morning, tying the club’s stance to the numbers that have made every at-bat feel a little heavier lately.
Murakami signed a two-year, $34 million deal with Chicago before the season and remains under club control through 2027, when he is scheduled to hit free agency. He’s already flashed All-Star power in his MLB debut year, but the second-half downturn after a hamstring absence gives both sides a reason to slow down instead of rushing into a long-term number.
GM Chris Getz has said the White Sox want to keep Murakami long-term and that talks have happened, with mutual interest on both sides. Nightengale’s report doesn’t change that. It simply makes the timeline clear: Chicago is willing to wait while the bat is cold and there’s still a year left on the original deal.
For now, the Sox are letting the situation breathe. Murakami still has a chance to finish strong, and Chicago still has leverage before this turns into a winter bidding war.
In Other News...
White Sox Bullpen Picture Just Got More Complicated Before First Pitch
Rain has already put the White Sox and Tigers on hold before first pitch, with no new start time announced yet, but the bigger subplot for Chicago is the latest bullpen shuffle. The club reinstated Huascar Brazobn from the injured list and sent Chris Murphy back to Triple-A Charlotte, a move that adds another arm to a relief group that has spent plenty of time trying to sort out its late-inning shape.
The timing matters because the White Sox were already headed into the day with a fresh look on the mound and a lineup card in hand once the weather clears. Troy Melton is the scheduled starter for Detroit, and his recent work adds another layer to a game that was supposed to be a clean matchup before the delay complicated everything, including how Chicago manages the innings if the tarp comes off later than expected. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Affiliate Offers Late Reminder The System Still Has Life
The White Sox may still be focused on the big-league picture, but Charlotte offered a useful reminder that the organization has some depth worth watching. The Knights beat Norfolk 10-6 on Wednesday to grab their second win of the series, and the offense kept the pressure on from the start with 12 hits and five extra-base hits. Mario Camilletti paced the lineup with four RBIs, while Tyler Gilbert handled three innings on the mound as part of a staff effort that gave up six runs but still kept the game in control.
For a system that has spent plenty of time under a microscope, nights like this matter because they show more than one prospect or one arm can carry a club. Pierce George picked up his first Triple-A win, a small milestone that fits into a larger picture of a farm team trying to stack competitive performances. The series still has another layer to it, but Charlotte at least gave the White Sox a reminder that some of the group beneath the majors is still pushing in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Have A Pitch-Calling Tension They Can't Ignore
The White Sox had every reason to feel good about Saturdays 3-1 win over Detroit, a game built on a much cleaner pitching performance than the one that came a night earlier. Still, the mood around the series shifted quickly after Fridays 11-8 loss, when Sean Newcomb voiced frustration about how his recent outings had gone and the pitch-calling decisions that came with them.
Kyle Teel pushed back on the criticism, defending the selections he made and underscoring a possible disconnect in the way the game plans are being executed. For a team trying to stabilize itself on the mound, the issue is bigger than one rough night or one pitchers reaction, because it hints at a larger need for sharper communication and trust between the mound and behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]