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In a notable move for their retooling roster, the American League club have signed slugger Munetaka Murakami, agreeing to a two-year contract with the high-profile player.

Financial Terms and Added Benefits

The agreement grants a seven-figure signing bonus, issued within 30 days, combined with annual pay of $16 million for the upcoming season and $17 million for the following year.

Notably, Murakami's 2027 salary may grow based on award achievements in 2026:

• $1 million for earning the MVP award.
• Half a million dollars for placing second or third in MVP voting.
• A quarter-million for finishing fourth through 10th.
• An identical bonus for being named the ROY honor.

The contract also stipulates that he cannot be assigned to the farm system without his approval and grants him a unrestricted player at the termination of the contract. Additional perks include a team-provided interpreter and airfare between the U.S. and Japan.

Compensation and Team Legacy

As part of the signing, Chicago must pay a posting fee of over $6.5 million to the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Murakami's former team in Japan's professional league. The Swallows get a additional payment of fifteen percent triggered incentive payments.

Murakami joins the ranks as the fourth-ever player from Japan to suit up for the White Sox, in the footsteps of pitcher Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), second baseman Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and fielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Notably, Takatsu was a manager for Murakami while both were in Japan.

Career Highlights

Murakami, a left-handed hitter who turns 26 in February, joins a emerging group of offensive players in Chicago that also features prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are finished with a difficult season, finishing at the bottom in the division but representing 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 belted 56 HRs, breaking the all-time record for a Japanese-born player previously held by legend Sadaharu Oh. That performance also made him the most youthful hitter ever to win Japan's coveted batting Triple Crown.

His 2023 season was curtailed to 56 games due to an muscle issue. Despite recording 64 times, he batted .273 with 22 HRs and 47 driven in.

Over his eight-season tenure with the Yakult club, Murakami has accumulated a .270 career batting average with 246 HRs, 647 RBI, and 977 Ks in 892 contests. Early in his career playing mostly at first, he has spent most of his time to third base.

WBC Heroics

Murakami's clutch hitting were on global view during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In the penultimate game against Mexico, he drove in a walk-off two-base hit that drove in teammates for a thrilling 6-5 victory. The very next day in the final against the USA, he blasted a game-tying homer in the second inning, paving the way for Japan's eventual title triumph.

The power hitter is scheduled to be unveiled at a introductory event on the coming Monday.