CHICAGO – White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami homered during a 15-2 thumping of the Twins Wednesday at Rate Field.
Murakami's 20th home run tied him with Yordan Alvarez for the American League top spot in long balls, and made him just the third White Sox player to reach 20 before June, joining Jim Thome (20 in 2006) and Frank Thomas (20 in 1994).
Most home runs in first 55 career MLB games
2017 Cody Bellinger: 22
1930 Wally Berger: 21
2026 Munetaka Murakami: 20
2015-16 Gary Sanchez: 20
But that blast during a five-run seventh wasn’t the biggest moment of the night for the left-handed slugger.
In the sixth inning, Murakami picked up his first career stolen base.
Murakami’s long drive in the seventh followed Chase Meidroth, who launched his first career grand slam in the previous at-bat. He also tied Ken Williams on the White Sox all-time home run list, although Williams is probably better known as the architect of the 2005 World Series champions.