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In a significant move for their retooling roster, the American League club have officially added infielder Munetaka Murakami, completing a two-year contract with the power-hitting player.

Financial Terms and Player Perks

The deal grants a substantial signing bonus, payable within 30 days, in addition to annual pay of $16 million for the upcoming season and $17 million for the final year.

Additionally, Murakami's 2027 salary can increase based on performance achievements in 2026:

• A seven-figure bonus for winning the Most Valuable Player award.
• Half a million dollars for finishing in the top three in MVP voting.
• A quarter-million for placing between fourth and tenth.
• An identical bonus for earning the top rookie honor.

The contract also stipulates that he cannot be sent to the minors without his approval and allows him to become a free agent at the conclusion of the term. Further benefits include a club-supplied interpreter and airfare between the U.S. and Japan.

Posting Fee and Franchise History

As part of the acquisition, Chicago is obligated to provide a posting fee of over $6.5 million to the Swallows, Murakami's previous team in Japan's professional league. The Japanese club get a 15% cut of fifteen percent triggered salary escalators.

Murakami is set to become the fourth Japanese to represent the South Siders, joining reliever Shingo Takatsu (2004-05), infielder Tadahito Iguchi (2005-07), and outfielder Kosuke Fukudome (2012). Of note, Takatsu once managed Murakami while both were in Japan.

On-Field Accomplishments

Murakami, a lefty bat who turns 26 soon, enters a promising lineup in Chicago that contains prospects like Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel, and Chase Meidroth. The club are coming off a difficult season, finishing at the bottom in the division but showing a 19-game improvement from the previous campaign.

The winner of back-to-back Most Valuable Player honors in 2021 and 2022, Murakami is renowned for a monumental 2022 season where he launched 56 HRs, breaking the longstanding record for a player in Japan previously held by icon Sadaharu Oh. That performance also made him the youngest player ever to secure Japan's elusive batting Triple Crown.

His most recent NPB campaign was shortened to just 56 appearances due to an side strain. Even with recording 64 times, he hit .273 with 22 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

Over his eight-season tenure with the Swallows, Murakami has posted a .270 batting average with 246 HRs, 647 RBI, and 977 strikeouts in nearly 900 games. Early in his career playing mostly at first base, he has more recently played to third base.

WBC Heroics

Murakami's heroics were on global view during the 2023 WBC. In the penultimate game against Mexico, he hit a game-ending double that brought home teammates for a thrilling 6-5 victory. The next night in the championship game against the Team USA, he slugged a game-tying home run in the early innings, helping Japan's subsequent 3-2 victory.

The lefty slugger is set to be unveiled at a media availability on the coming Monday.