After losing Juan Soto, the New York Yankees seemed intent on building a juggernaut that would haunt the AL East for the next few years. That’s when they signed Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal, filling the spot previously occupied by Anthony Rizzo. For a team chasing continued dominance, passing on longer-term solutions for a one-year player is a bewildering move.
The initial reaction was an expectation that GM Brian Cashman was going to make a play for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. While that is still a possibility, we have now heard whispers that the Yankees’ front office is eyeing a Japanese superstar as a long-term solution.
The Yankees are looking to sign Munetaka Murakami
According to Yankees’ reporter Michael Kay, Yankees’ management is aiming to bring Japanese superstar Munetaka Murakami aboard next offseason. Kay had this to say on ESPN:
“You’ve got to come up with another creative way to make yourself more attractive. You just do. [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto turned you down [for the Los Angeles Dodgers]. Now, [Roki] Sasaki turned you down. Now, the slugging first baseman Murakami is going to be a free agent at the end of this year. I know the Yankees would love to have him. That’s why they don’t want to sign a long-term deal for a first baseman. Are they going to be able to get him, or is he going to end up on the West Coast?”
Murakami is one of the top sluggers in NPB history. He is the youngest to reach 200 home runs at age 24. In 2022 and at the age of 22, he became the youngest player in the NPB to hit for the triple crown, posting an astounding .318/.458/.711/1.168 slash line with 134 RBIs and 56 home runs through only 487 at-bats. His 56 home runs that season hold the single-season home run record in Japan.
Murakami’s on-base percentages are staggering as he draws a massive number of walks each season. Last year was a definite down season for the 24-year-old slugger. Murakami posted a .244/.379/.472/.851 slash line with 33 home runs in 500 at-bats. The 33 home runs were promising, but his OPS and SLG were at career lows. He hit a career-low 13 doubles with one triple last season accounting for the low SLG. He started the year mired in a slump before coming back around.
Murakami is no stranger to slumps as he has been plagued with them the past few years, even in his historic 2022 season. His WBC performance in 2023 was certainly memorable though it came during one his slumps. He had very few hits, but they were important ones. His two-run walk-off double sent Team Japan to the finals against Team USA where he did this against Merrill Kelly:
If that isn’t the nicest swing you’ve ever seen, then I give up. Murakami will be 25 next season. He is currently the third baseman for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, but his defense at third may not hold up well enough in the MLB to stay at that position. Murakami is thought to be better suited at first base.
As explained, there are some risks given his slumps the past few years. There is also the difference between the NPB and the MLB he will need to adjust to. But his power and keen eye at the plate will give the Yankees plenty to work with. Plus, his left-handed bat in Yankee Stadium should be a perfect fit for the short right porch.
