Major doubts surface complicating Yankees’ pursuit of Murakami
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Follow UsNEW YORK — The New York Yankees are expected to make a push for Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami this offseason, but the road ahead appears complicated. League insiders caution that the Yankees’ pursuit of the Tokyo Yakult Swallows star is full of challenges, from roster structure to fit and risk evaluation.
Yankees roster build creates immediate hurdles
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that the Yankees are among several teams interested in Munetaka Murakami, who will be posted this winter after eight strong seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball. The 25-year-old corner infielder is widely regarded as one of Japan’s premier hitters, but how he fits in New York remains unclear.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic dismissed the likelihood of the Yankees signing Murakami during a Reddit Q&A this week.
“I know Murakami is a popular target for fans. I don’t see that happening,” Kirschner wrote. “Ben Rice is the first baseman next season. Giancarlo Stanton is the DH. There’s no spot for him.”
The Yankees already solidified third base by trading for Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies at the 2025 deadline. McMahon’s elite glove and remaining two years of control give the team stability at that position. Meanwhile, Rice has emerged as a legitimate power hitter and is viewed internally as the long-term first baseman.
With Stanton occupying the designated hitter role, the Yankees have little room to maneuver. His contract limits lineup flexibility, leaving no natural place for Murakami in the current roster mix.
Defensive shortcomings raise concerns
Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media pointed to another problem — Murakami’s defense. While his offensive reputation is stellar, his glove work is viewed as less reliable.
“Murakami’s offensive production in Japan is impossible to ignore, but the Yankees’ current roster construction and his defensive limitations suggest this might be one of those times when they sit out the sweepstakes,” Wilson wrote. “Defensively, Murakami’s profile is less convincing. That’s where the Yankees’ fit issues begin to surface.”
Murakami has played primarily at third base in Japan, where scouts describe his defense as average. Compared to McMahon’s Gold Glove-level performance, Murakami’s defensive range and footwork fall short.
He has seen occasional time at first base and in the outfield, but those positions are already filled by Rice, Stanton, and Judge. As a result, his potential role with the Yankees looks limited at best.
Offensive red flags emerge
Murakami’s power numbers have made him a national star in Japan, but there are growing questions about how his offensive profile will translate to the majors. Over eight NPB seasons, he has hit 265 home runs and collected a Triple Crown in 2022, when he smashed 56 home runs — a record for a Japanese-born player — at age 22.
Still, scouts have taken note of concerning trends. His strikeout rate has climbed steadily, reaching between 28 and 30 percent over the last three years. In 2024, he struck out 180 times in 610 plate appearances. His walk rate, once a strength, has dropped from 19.3 percent in 2022 to 14.3 percent this year.
“He’s basically a three true outcomes hitter,” one analyst noted. “He takes his walks, hits his home runs, and strikes out.”
The power is unquestioned, but a hitter with that profile could face a steeper learning curve in MLB.
Translation challenges from NPB to MLB
Players moving from Japan to the United States often face steep adjustments, both on and off the field. The style of play, travel demands, and pitching velocity differ significantly between the leagues.
In NPB, pitchers generally throw slower, and teams play fewer games per week with standardized travel schedules. In MLB, players deal with constant travel across time zones and stronger velocity arsenals from pitchers.
Kosuke Fukudome serves as a warning example. The outfielder hit 192 home runs in nine NPB seasons before signing a four-year, $48 million contract with the Cubs in 2008. He managed only 42 homers in the majors and returned to Japan at 35.
Josh Benjamin of Elite Sports NY wrote, “We’ve seen countless Japanese hitters come to the US and struggle against speedier pitches. Any team that hands Murakami a lucrative contract and subsequent posting fee to Yakult is in for a rude surprise.”
Benjamin compared Murakami’s projected production to Joey Gallo — power, walks, and RBIs, but also high strikeouts and low batting average. Murakami owns a career .273 batting average in Japan, and evaluators believe his contact rate could drop against MLB-level pitching.
Yankees’ troubled history with Japanese stars
The Yankees’ pursuit of Japanese talent has often ended in disappointment. They aggressively chased Shohei Ohtani in 2017, but his representatives quickly informed the club he would not consider New York.
Brian Cashman later said the team’s large-market status worked against them.
“I started getting a feel that wasn’t good a few days ago,” Cashman said at the time. “I know that our presentation was excellent. The feedback from that was outstanding. I did get a sense that I can’t change that we’re a big market, and I can’t change that we’re in the East. That was something that, presentation or not, might be difficult to overcome.”
The Yankees also missed out on pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed with the Dodgers after New York made a strong financial offer. Likewise, the team never stood a real chance at acquiring Roki Sasaki.
The Dodgers have dominated this market recently, signing Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki in consecutive years. The Yankees have not landed a major Japanese player since Masahiro Tanaka joined them in 2014.
Competition heats up across MLB
According to Feinsand’s report, several clubs are expected to join the chase for Murakami, including the Mets, Phillies, Mariners, Dodgers, Giants, and Red Sox. His ability to play multiple positions could make him appealing to teams with open corner infield spots.
Murakami hit 22 home runs with a 1.043 OPS in just 56 games this year before missing time with an injury. His bat remains elite, but whether it can consistently handle MLB pitching is another question.
Kirschner mentioned that the Yankees might instead turn their attention to Kazuma Okamoto, another Japanese slugger who hits left-handers well. That could balance a lineup that includes Rice and McMahon, both left-handed bats. However, Okamoto could seek guaranteed playing time that New York may not offer.
The Yankees now face a familiar choice. They can chase another Japanese superstar and risk another disappointment or focus on more practical roster fits. With lineup spaces already occupied and multiple uncertainties around Murakami’s defense and strikeout profile, the risk may outweigh the reward. The Yankees’ history, combined with Murakami’s potential transition challenges, suggests they may again watch a high-profile Japanese star sign elsewhere.
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