Sugano bested by former NPB foe Murakami in possible last start with Rockies

CHICAGO -- Past meetings between Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano and White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami didn’t involve much travel. Each played for Tokyo teams in the Japan Central League, Sugano for the Yomiuri Giants and Murakami for the Yakult Swallows.

They met again Friday night at Rate Field.

Murakami, then a young player getting his professional bearing when he faced superstar Sugano, showed on Friday just how much he’s grown. Murakami homered twice, in the first and seventh innings, to increase his total to 35 as the postseason-bound White Sox continued their push for the American League Central title with a 6-1 victory. The Rockies have dropped 29 of their last 36.

In Japan, Sugano held Murakami to 11-for-54 (.204) with two home runs, 16 strikeouts and eight walks. On Friday, Murakami was 2-for-3 with one strikeout, two homers and three RBIs.

“I just have to accept the facts -- the results for today,” Sugano said in Japanese, with Yuto Sakurai interpreting. “And I’ll work harder for next year.

“Ever since he came up [in Japan], he was expected to be a great player. Facing him, I felt the same way. He has brought championships to his former team, so I thought he was going to be a great player.”

The White Sox and Murakami know they are going to the postseason, although whether they or the Guardians win the division must be decided. Sugano, 36, could soon be going places, even if he’s uncertain where. Sugano (12-12) pitched on a one-year, $5.1 million contract and will be a free agent after the season. He will finish the year leading the 57-103 Rockies in wins and tallied the most wins for a Rockies pitcher since Germán Márquez went 12-11 in 2021.

“I’ve been told it’s a tough environment to pitch in, and I felt that way myself, too,” said Sugano, the oldest pitcher with a 12-win season in Rockies history. “At the end of the day, I think I was able to achieve what I wanted, so I’m looking forward to next year.”

Murakami’s first-inning shot gave the Sox a 2-0 lead, but rookie TJ Rumfield’s solo shot opened the second, and Sugano became efficient. With the Rockies down, 3-1, manager Warren Schaeffer had Brennan Bernardino warm up during the sixth -- but Sugano put down the inning in eight pitches.

“He’s an unbelievable competitor,” said Rumfield, whose 16 homers and .299 batting average are part of a strong argument for National League Rookie of the Year consideration. “Maybe a guy gets on base or something. He just gets better. He’s a baseball player. He likes to bear down. He’s a great player and a great teammate.”

But Murakami homered to open the seventh.

“Tomo was really good -- he had 80 pitches going into the seventh inning -- plenty of rope, so you take him hitter by hitter,” Schaeffer said. “It’s happened multiple times this year, where you send a guy back out and the first hitter hits a homer.”

Regardless of whether Sugano, who has said this year he would love to pitch four more seasons, re-signs with the Rockies, he finished with a message for possible suitors. He felt strong in his last start, but was removed from the 2-1 loss to the Mariners after five innings and 72 pitches because Schaeffer wanted to use starter-by-trade Ryan Feltner for multiple innings. This time, Sugano was charged with four runs on six hits, but he struck out five and held his stuff deep into a game in late September.

“There were moments where I gave up crucial hits but, reflecting, my pitch sequence the last two outings led to decent results,” Sugano said.