HOUSTON -- The story of Munetaka Murakami and the White Sox began with a great deal of humor.
Murakami pulling socks out of his sportcoat pocket at his opening press conference. The arrival of bidets for the White Sox at the Rate Field home clubhouse, per Murakami’s signing request, with Murakami explaining that people use too much toilet paper.
But once baseball action took root, even at the end of Spring Training, it was all business for the first baseman who came to the White Sox from Japan via a two-year, $34 million deal. An argument could be made that the White Sox would not be playing Houston in an American League Wild Card series, beginning Tuesday at 4 p.m. CT at Daikin Park, if Murakami had picked another Major League locale.
That’s no slight to the plethora of young talent developing and emerging on Chicago’s South Side during the 2026 season. It’s reinforcing Murakami’s overall importance.
“It’s a possibility. It is,” said White Sox general manager Chris Getz on the team being playoff-less without Murakami. “He has meant a lot to this team, and not just the production on the field.
“We all know it isn’t just because of one player. That’s very clear. But it was a boost. It was. There was a lot of positive happenings early in the year with Mune.”
Murakami homered in his first three games as a Major Leaguer, and equaled a franchise record by going deep in five straight from April 17-22. Those early long balls were more important to the team’s development, as people focused on the left-handed slugger and not the White Sox starting 1-5 on their opening road trip, or 6-13 over their first 19 games.
“There was a lot of excitement, and I think it allowed other players to settle in and get comfortable at the Major League level, and we got some wins because of Mune,” Getz said. “Certainly, games that perhaps were out of reach and he went out there and hit a three-run homer to get us closer to tying the score, or extending a lead to help save a bullpen, that perhaps we would have approached differently.”
Pinpointing Murakami’s level of importance to the White Sox would be a bit challenging, according to Getz.
“But I know he certainly is a reason why we are here,” Getz said.
“Obviously I don't really know what kind of team atmosphere was here the last two years when we did lose 100 games, but I'm right here at this moment in time, so this is our culture,” said Murakami, through interpreter Kenzo Yagi, during an interview room session at Monday’s workout. “It's a winning culture, as you can see, and that's how we have been proceeding. This is not the end. This is just the start of our, let's say, postseason run.”
Although he missed 35 games due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, Murakami slashed .207/.347/.478 with 35 home runs, 77 RBIs, 92 walks and 196 strikeouts. Probably not too far off predicted results when Murakami moved to Major League Baseball for the first time.
In the process, he has become a bona fide superstar. The bidet story went international, the White Sox added “Muneshot” sushi push-pops at Rate Field and his jersey was the No. 20 best seller among MLB players.
“Mune is a very outgoing person. As a person, he was suitable for Major League Baseball,” said Shingo Takatsu, the onetime White Sox closer who managed Murakami for eight seasons, through an interpreter. “He’s not shy. I thought Mune would fit in right away. I always knew he had the skill to hit home runs. Now, he proves that he has the power to hit the home runs here in the big leagues.”
“He's a special guy,” said All-Star White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas of Murakami. “He's a guy that you want to be around and learn from. His work ethic is unbelievable, and he is a winner. He has won in Japan. He won in [the World Baseball Classic], and then he came here and now we're in the playoffs.”
Vargas referred to Murakami as “one of my best friends,” adding they have great conversations off the field and aside from baseball. Now, this duo will try to keep this improbable White Sox season moving forward in the middle of their potent lineup.
“Tomorrow, it's a start for a new beginning again. Big, long postseason run. Especially into October,” Murakami said. “I'll do whatever I can, 100% of my full potential and ability, so that I can show what I have under me. I'm going to do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
“It’s not just that he hits homers, but he's great with fans and he's personable,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And he's a guy that makes an impact in the clubhouse and does things the right way.”