"The team owner is going to sell Murakami." Why the concern over the Japanese home run king, who is already exploding with the presence of '7 MLB home runs'?

*This content was translated by AI.

Munetaka Murakami (26, Chicago White Sox) possesses real power. He is demonstrating immense power and presence even in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nevertheless, local fans are expressing anxious predictions about Murakami's future.

On the 19th (Korean time), Murakami started at second batter and first baseman in the away game against the 2026 MLB Athletics at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, USA. He hit a solo home run and delivered a stellar performance with 2 at-bats, 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 strikeout, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored.

Murakami, batting leadoff in the bottom of the 7th inning while his team led 5-4, smashed a curveball from Hogen Harris for a solo home run over the center field wall. This was his second consecutive home run over two games and his seventh of the season.

Thanks to his performance today, Murakami recorded 7 home runs, 14 RBIs, 15 runs scored, a on-base percentage of 0.386, a slugging percentage of 0.522, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.908.

Concerns about his contact ability and high strikeout rate, which were cited as weaknesses even before his move to the big leagues, followed. This is also the reason why Murakami, the owner of the single-season record for most home runs by a pure Japanese player in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with 56, and a slugger who played a leading role as a representative of Japan, signed a contract worth only 2 years and $34 million (approximately 4.99 billion won).

Looking only at the early part of this season, it seems half right and half wrong. Murakami's batting average is a very disappointing 0.209 (14 hits in 67 at-bats), but in other metrics, he is showing such a significant presence that the argument about batting average being useless has emerged. His home run count ranks third in the American League, tied with Jordan Alvarez (Houston, 9) and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees, 8).

He also has the most strikeouts at 29, but he also has the most walks at 20, tying for second place overall in the American League. This is proven by his decent on-base percentage despite the low batting average. Most importantly, his slugging percentage is excellent, and he is performing as the most productive hitter on the team. Although the White Sox lineup is severely slumping, considering his salary, Murakami has established himself as a true blessing that rolled into the team.

However, in Japan, concerned eyes are following him. The Japanese media Full Count reported anxious predictions today that fans in the U.S. are worried he will be traded before the "trade deadline".

This is not unrelated to the team's situation. Despite Murakami's performance, the White Sox lost 6-7 in extra innings and remain tied for last place in the American League Central Division with 7 wins and 14 losses.

Full Count relayed reactions from local fans on social networking services (SNS). Messages such as "Murakami, I really love you. But even if you volunteer for a trade, I will completely understand", and "Let's sign an extension with Murakami quickly" were shared, conveying the possibility that Murakami might leave the team.

There are completely different opinions as well. That the team will discard Murakami. Full Count introduced a string of sorrowful cries such as "What I'm worried about is that the current team owner, looking at Murakami's batting average and strikeout count, 'judges that he is not worth an extension contract'and will put him up for trade as an off-season asset", "Murakami is more likely to be released before the trade deadline", "The team owner is going to sell Murakami", and "Murakami seems like he will come out by the summer dead line".

Currently, the possibility of Murakami being undervalued seems very slim. However, the possibility of a trade cannot be ruled out. Full Count also predicted that "In MLB, 'teams holding the white flag'frequently sell off their key players in the trade market. Murakami's batting average is somewhat low, but he is demonstrating his unique hitting with an on-base percentage of 0.386 and an OPS of 0.908. If he maintains his current momentum, there is a high possibility that powerhouse teams will make moves to acquire him".

Murakami signed a somewhat disappointing contract, but he will be able to receive a fresh market evaluation through opt-out after this season ends. Any team that recognizes Murakami's value, has plans to sign him as a free agent (FA), or expects a definitive hit in the postseason can certainly target Murakami.

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*This content was translated by AI.