Boston Red Sox
Murakami is considered to be the “Japanese Babe Ruth.”
The biggest possible international free agent this offseason has been posted, and he might be a fit for the Red Sox.
Japanese star Munetaka Murakami was posted by his team in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Tokyo Yakult Swallows, ESPN reported Friday. The 25-year-old will have 45 days to sign with an MLB team, giving him a Dec. 22 deadline.
Murakami has been listed by many analysts as one of the top free-agent hitters this offseason, mostly playing third base. The left-handed hitter also has experience playing first base, with a handful of insiders speculating that the Red Sox could be a match for Murakami, especially if Alex Bregman leaves this offseason.
So, as the Murakami sweepstakes are set to begin, here are five things to know about him with the possibility of the Red Sox entering the pursuit to sign him.
He’s considered to be the “Japanese Babe Ruth.”
As a hitter and a pitcher, Shohei Ohtani might be doing things that no MLB player has done since Babe Ruth. But Murakami is the Japanese star who has earned himself the nickname “Japanese Babe Ruth” because of his power at the plate.
Murakami broke the NPB’s long-standing single-season home run record in 2022, hitting 56 home runs that year. The record was previously 55, which was set by Sadaharu Oh in 1964.
Murakami’s showcase of his power at the plate wasn’t limited to just that season. He’s hit at least 30 home runs in the five seasons he’s played 140 games, including 33 homers in 2024.
As he battled an oblique injury in 2025, Murakami played just 56 games. But that didn’t stop him from hitting 22 home runs to go with a .273 batting average and 1.042 OPS. Murakami would’ve been on pace to hit 55 home runs had he played 140 games this past season.
Munetaka is also a two-time Central League MVP, winning the Triple Crown for his 2022 performance at the plate. He hit .318 with a 1.168 OPS and 134 RBIs that year.
That sort of power would certainly be welcomed into the Red Sox’ lineup, even if it’s from a lefty. The Red Sox ranked 15th in baseball last season in home runs with 186.
Some of his hitting numbers are concerning, though.
While Murakami can mash, there might be some frustrations with his at-bats in between home runs.
Murakami has had pretty high whiff and strikeout rates over the last two seasons. He had a 37.3 percent whiff rate in 2024 before posting a 36.7 percent strikeout rate in 2025. He held a 29.5 strikeout rate in 2024 and a 28.6 strikeout rate this past season.
For reference, Murakami’s whiff rate in 2025 would’ve been the worst on the Red Sox’ last season by over five percent (outside Jhostynxon Garcia). His 2025 strikeout rate would’ve been the second-worst among Red Sox hitters who had at least 20 plate appearances this past season.
As Murakami’s whiff and strikeout rate numbers, there is a concern among talent evaluators that those stats could be even worse for him in MLB. His in-zone contact rate also ranked toward the bottom of qualified NPB hitters and he’s struggled to make contact on fastballs over 93 mph, according to SNY’s Joe DeMayo.
Where does he fit in the field?
Even though Murakami has primarily played third base, some talent evaluators believe he could be better suited to play first base in the majors, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. There’s also been some speculation that he could be a designated hitter as well.
Even if the Red Sox lose Bregman in free agency, they still might be in the market for a first baseman this winter. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow didn’t make any commitments on who will be the starting first baseman for the 2026 season when he spoke with reporters at his end-of-year press conference in October.
Where insiders believe Murakami might sign.
Feinsand listed the Red Sox, along with the Giants and Dodgers, as possible fits for Murakami back in October. The Yankees, Mets, Phillies, and Mariners are also expected to be possible suitors for Murakami, Japanese outlet Nikkan Sports previously reported.
As some might think the Dodgers will easily land the star, ESPN’s Jeff Passan isn’t so sure about that.
“Maybe he wants to [play for the Dodgers], but where does he fit? The Dodgers just picked up Max Muncy’s option and Murakami plays third base,” Passan said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “The Dodgers have Freddie Freeman at first base and he’s not going anywhere. They have Shohei Ohtani at DH. Murakami’s probably not athletic enough to be an outfielder.”
In MLB Trade Rumors’ annual free agency predictions column, one of the four analysts predicted Murakami to sign with the Red Sox on an eight-year, $180 million deal. However, MLB.com’s 46-person panel has the Mariners as the favorite to sign Murakami.
How does the posting process work?
Unlike most other free agents, Murakami has to go through a bit more of a complex process. Whichever MLB team signs Murakami will also have to pay a posting fee that’s determined by his contract.
The team that signs Murakami will owe a posting fee of 20 percent for the first $25 million of his contract, 17.5 percent for the next $25 million, and an additional 15% on every dollar after that. So, with Murakami set to cross the $100 million threshold, his posting fee will likely be at least $16.9 million.
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