Report: White Sox, Murakami agree to 2-year, $34M contract

The Chicago White Sox and Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami are in agreement on a two-year, $34-million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The 25-year-old corner infielder holds the single-season NPB record for most homers by a Japan-born player, hitting 56 in 2022.

Murakami hit .286/.392/.659 with 24 homers and 52 RBIs in 69 games this past year, missing time due to an oblique injury.

Over eight seasons in NPB, all spent with the Yakult Swallows, Murakami boasts a .270/.394/.557 slash line with 246 home runs, 59 stolen bases, and 647 RBIs over 892 games.

Murakami, the youngest player on the open market, was widely projected to command a nine-figure contract.

The two-time Central League MVP joins an infield mix that includes Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa. Vargas likely projects as the team's starting third baseman, pushing Murakami to first base or DH.

The White Sox will pay a total of $40.575 million to get the deal done, Passan adds, as the club pays an additional $6.575-million posting fee to the Swallows.

Chicago has lost at least 100 games in three consecutive seasons and hasn't had a winning campaign since 2021.

This is the largest free-agent contract the White Sox have handed out since signing Andrew Benintendi to a five-year, $75-million deal prior to the 2023 campaign.