Internal hurdles loom large over Yankees’ bid for Munetaka Murakami
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Follow UsNew York — The Yankees’ offseason wishlist just got a blockbuster addition. Japan’s home run king officially entered the MLB posting system Friday, triggering a 45-day negotiating window that expires Dec. 22. Multiple teams will chase the 25-year-old slugger, who shattered records and won a Triple Crown before he could legally rent a car.
But the Bronx Bombers face a problem nobody saw coming. The very assets they acquired to solidify their roster might now block them from landing one of winter’s most coveted free agents.
Munetaka Murakami departed the Tokyo Yakult Swallows after eight dominant seasons that produced 246 home runs and a .270/.394/.557 slash line. His 56 homers in 2022 broke Sadaharu Oh’s 58-year-old single season record for a Japanese-born player. At 22, he became the youngest Triple Crown winner in Nippon Professional Baseball history.
The left-handed slugger’s power translates to eye-popping metrics. His max exit velocity reached 116.5 mph in 2025, harder than most MLB players ever hit a ball. Only 23 big league hitters recorded even one batted ball at 116 mph or harder last season. Just nine left-handed hitters accomplished that feat, a group headlined by Oneil Cruz, James Wood, Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani.
Injury couldn’t slow devastating pace
Murakami played only 56 games in 2025 after an oblique injury sidelined him for much of the year, but the limited action didn’t dull his production. He still smashed 22 home runs and hit .273 with a .379 on-base percentage, a .663 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.043.
His home run rate actually exceeded his 2022 pace when he broke Oh’s record. Despite missing two-thirds of the season, he still ranked among the top five NPB home run hitters. His 208 weighted runs created plus (wRC+) more than doubled the league average.
The power data further underline his elite ability. Murakami’s max bat speed reached 85.7 mph in 2025—a number unmatched by nearly every MLB player except Giancarlo Stanton. That combination of bat speed and exit velocity suggests a skillset capable of producing consistent elite power at the big-league level.
Murakami also shined on the international stage. During the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he hit a walk-off double off Giovanny Gallegos in the semifinals to send Japan past Mexico, then homered off Merrill Kelly in the final to help Japan beat Team USA 3-2. His home run left the bat at 115.1 mph, one of the hardest-hit balls of the tournament. For comparison, only 19 MLB players hit a homer at 115 mph or more during the 2025 season.
Red flags emerge in crucial areas
For all his offensive fireworks, scouts see warning signs. Murakami’s strikeout numbers have climbed each of the past three years, raising questions about his ability to adjust to MLB pitching.
His whiff rate jumped from 31.7 percent in 2022 to 36.7 percent in 2025. Over the same span, his strikeout rate rose from 20.9 percent to 28.6 percent. He fanned 180 times in 610 plate appearances during 2024, and his 28.6 percent strikeout rate ranked fourth-highest in NPB among hitters with at least 220 plate appearances.
Those numbers look even more concerning when viewed through the lens of contact consistency. His in-zone contact rate dropped from 77.1 percent in 2022 to 72.6 percent in 2025, while MLB’s average sits at 82.5 percent. Historically, NPB hitters experience further drops when adjusting to major league velocity and pitch movement.
For reference, Joey Gallo’s career in-zone contact rate is 70.6 percent. Elite MLB power hitters like Aaron Judge, Schwarber, and Ohtani manage to stay above 75 percent despite their strikeout tendencies.
“The strikeout and walk numbers may scare some teams away,” one American League executive told MLB.com. “He has big power, but there appear to be a lot of holes in that swing.”
Murakami’s pitch recognition also raises eyebrows. Against right-handers, he whiffed on nearly half the offspeed pitches he offered at, and against lefties, he missed almost two-thirds of breaking pitches he swung at in 2025. MLB’s higher average velocity and sharper breaking balls could expose those weaknesses even more.
Yankees roster creates uncomfortable fit
On paper, Murakami looks like a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch. A left-handed slugger with upper-deck power sounds tailor-made for the Bronx. General manager Brian Cashman and his staff have monitored Murakami for years.
But the Yankees’ current roster structure complicates things. Both corner infield spots are already filled by left-handed bats. Ben Rice cemented himself as a long-term option at first base after hitting .255 with 26 home runs in 2025. His value as a first baseman and designated hitter is clear, but Giancarlo Stanton’s massive contract limits lineup flexibility.
At third base, Ryan McMahon provides Gold Glove-caliber defense after arriving in a trade from Colorado. While his .208/.308/.333 line in 54 games after the trade didn’t wow anyone, his defense proved vital during the playoff stretch.
One scout told The Athletic that Murakami’s defensive limitations create a mismatch. “I think he’d be an interesting fit for the Yankees, given their short porch there, but you got to play him somewhere,” the scout said. “I don’t think his offense is going to be able to make up for his defensive issues. I don’t think third is a realistic position in the big leagues. I think first is going to be a work in progress. I don’t see left field being realistic.”
Murakami committed six errors in 63 games at third base in 2025. In his previous three full seasons, he made at least 15 errors each year. That defensive track record doesn’t align with the Yankees’ recent focus on athleticism and fielding stability.
Financial commitment adds complexity
Signing Murakami also comes with major financial hurdles. Under MLB’s posting system, the team that signs a Japanese player must pay a transfer fee to his former club. The structure requires 20 percent of the first $25 million of the contract, 17.5 percent of the next $25 million, and 15 percent of any amount above $50 million.
With Murakami likely to command a nine-figure contract, that posting fee alone could exceed $16.9 million, money paid directly to the Swallows on top of his salary.
Masataka Yoshida’s five-year, $90 million deal with Boston remains the record for a position player signed through posting, but Murakami’s age and power suggest he’ll surpass that figure easily.
Social media analyst Ryan Garcia voiced doubt about a Yankees pursuit, writing, “I would be stunned if the Yankees sign Munetaka Murakami. NYY views Ben Rice as a 1B, and scouts believe Murakami to be a poor defensive 3B.”
The Yankees finished 2025 with MLB’s top-ranked offense. That success came from a deliberate approach to balancing power with contact and versatility. Adding another high-strikeout slugger could upset that mix.
Other suitors create bidding pressure
Several other teams are better positioned to fit Murakami into their lineups. The Mets could pursue him if Pete Alonso departs in free agency. Their president of baseball operations, David Stearns, even traveled to Japan in August to watch Murakami play—and saw him hit a walk-off homer that night.
Seattle has openings at both first and third base after Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez reached free agency. Philadelphia could also enter the race if Kyle Schwarber leaves, seeking a similar left-handed power presence.
The Yankees’ negotiating window closes on December 22, giving them limited time to evaluate whether the fit makes sense. Murakami’s elite power and international pedigree make him a fascinating target. But for the Yankees, a crowded infield and defensive uncertainty could make this dream pursuit too complicated to pull off.
The Yankees spent years shaping their roster for balance and flexibility. Ironically, that success may now stand in the way of adding one of baseball’s most exciting young talents.
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