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Munetaka Murakami 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: The Ultimate High-Risk, High-Reward Slugger
Munetaka Murakami is famous for slugging 56 homers and winning Japan's Triple Crown in 2022, but his two-year commitment from the White Sox underwhelmed. An oblique injury limited Murakami to 224 plate appearances last season, and he led NPB with a 208 wRC+ and 31.4 percent HR/FB. He also posted an elite 25.8 percent chase rate. Murakami recorded 610 PAs in 2024 with a 158 wRC+ (92nd percentile in Japan), 20.6 percent HR/FB (100th percentile), and 24 percent chase rate (74th percentile). The issue lies in his strikeout totals, as his 36.7 percent whiff rate and 28.6 K% last year are troubling before you account for MLB's higher strikeout environment. High velo concerns are frequently discussed, but Murakami will probably improve with consistent reps against premium velocity. More concerningly, he whiffed at nearly half the offspeed pitches he swung at vs. RHP and two-thirds of breaking pitches vs. LHP last year. If Murakami makes contact against MLB pitching, he's a 40-HR bat in the middle of the lineup. If he can't, he's a wasted draft pick. The White Sox should give him rope if he struggles out of the gate, making the 25-year-old an intriguing upside play at his 231.42 ADP.
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