*This content was translated by AI.
Murakami Munetaka (26, Chicago White Sox), the 'Japanese monster batter' who has been bombing the Major League Baseball (MLB) stage, has finally taken sole possession of the MLB home run lead. At this pace, he could reach 65 home runs this season.
On the 2nd (Korean time), Murakami started as the second hitter and first baseman in the away game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California, USA, in the '2026 Major League'. He went 3-for-3 with 1 hit (1 home run), 2 walks, and 2 RBIs, recording 3 hits in the game and swinging the bat powerfully.
Most impressively, the moment Murakami added another home run to take sole possession of the MLB home run lead was striking. In the bottom of the second inning with the team leading 3-0, two outs, and runners on first and third, Murakami perfectly connected with knucklecurve from opposing pitcher Herman Marquez.
It was an 'enormous hit' that immediately felt like a home run upon contact. Local broadcast footage captured San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr. abandoning his defensive position and merely watching the ball fly, while even at an away stadium, the stands erupted in shouts of shock.
The ball traveled at a speed of 111.1 mph (approximately 178.8 km/h) and covered a distance of 413 feet (approximately 125.9 meters), clearing the right-field wall. Murakami raised his right hand high, circled the bases, and enjoyed his joy with wide smiles alongside teammates in the dugout.
This was Murakami's 13th home run of the season, his first since April 28 against the Los Angeles Angels, coming after a three-game drought. With this, Murakami surpassed Aaron Judge (New York Yankees) and Yordan Alvarez (Houston Astros), who were tied at 12 home runs, to take sole possession of the MLB home run lead.
Not only has he become an MLB star, but even in his debut season, Murakami has continued his 'record-making machine' trajectory. In the opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit home runs in three consecutive games, shattering the all-time record for Japanese batters and announcing a brilliant start.
From the April 17 game against the Athletics, he hit home runs in five consecutive games, simultaneously setting a franchise record and tying the all-time record for most home runs by a Japanese player. Notably, in the game against the Nationals on the 25th, he hit his 11th home run against Miles Michaelis, who previously played for the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), tying the franchise record for most home runs in a single month (11), set by Paul Konerko in 2010.
The numbers behind the records are also overwhelming. Before this game, Murakami had a batting average of 0.236, showing somewhat inconsistent accuracy, but he has proven his league-leading destructive power with 12 home runs and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.939. He is also praised for his excellent plate discipline, drawing 25 walks, which ranks fourth in the league.
If this pace continues over the entire season, mathematically, 65 home runs are possible. This would surpass the 62nd-home run record set by 'clean home run king' Aaron Judge in the 2022 season, drawing the attention of Japan and the entire world to Murakami's unstoppable bat.
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*This content was translated by AI.
