Could “The Japanese Babe Ruth” Munetaka Murakami Be Headed Back Home?

For months, Munetaka Murakami’s name has loomed over Major League Baseball’s offseason like a thundercloud waiting to break. Nicknamed “the Japanese Babe Ruth,” Murakami entered the posting process expecting to cash in as the most dangerous left-handed power bat available on the global market.

Now, with time running out, the question has shifted.

Is MLB about to miss its chance entirely?

Murakami has until Monday at 5 p.m. EST to sign with a major-league club. If that deadline passes without a deal, he will remain with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball, postponing his MLB dream and potentially reshaping next winter’s market.

The Slugger MLB Has Never Seen Before

At just 26 years old, Munetaka Murakami is already one of the most accomplished hitters in Japanese baseball history. Over eight seasons, he crushed 246 home runs, but it was his historic 2022 campaign that cemented his legend.

That season, Murakami launched 56 home runs, breaking a 58-year-old Japanese single-season record previously held by the iconic Sadaharu Oh. The feat was not just symbolic; it was seismic. No Japanese hitter had displayed that level of raw power at such a young age.

If he were to make the jump, Murakami would become the first true power-hitting Japanese position player to move directly to MLB since Hideki Matsui in 2003. Matsui, of course, went on to win World Series MVP honors in 2009, proving that elite Japanese sluggers can thrive on baseball’s biggest stage.

Why the Market Has Been Slower Than Expected

The hesitation from MLB teams has not been about power. Murakami has that in abundance. The concerns lie elsewhere.

Like Kyle Schwarber, who recently re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for five years and $150 million, Murakami profiles as a left-handed slugger who draws walks, hits moonshots, and strikes out at a healthy clip. The difference is defensive value.

Most evaluators believe Murakami is stretched defensively at both infield corners, making him best suited as a designated hitter. That limitation narrows the field, especially for teams that value positional flexibility when committing long-term money.

There is also the posting fee, which complicates negotiations. Under the posting system, the signing MLB club must pay Murakami’s Japanese team a percentage of the contract value:

• 20 percent of the first $25 million

• 17.5 percent of the next $25 million

• 15 percent of any amount over $50 million

• Plus 15 percent on bonuses and options

An $80 million deal, for example, would require an additional $10–15 million paid to Yakult on top of the contract itself. For some teams, that extra cost has clearly tempered enthusiasm.

Teams Still Make Sense — On Paper

Power is still a premium commodity, and several clubs remain logical fits.

The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates both pursued Schwarber aggressively before he chose Philadelphia, with Pittsburgh reportedly offering four years and $100 million. Murakami could fill a similar role, providing instant lineup thunder.

Other intriguing possibilities include Atlanta, which could use a designated hitter after losing Marcell Ozuna, as well as the New York Mets, who are searching for answers after losing Pete Alonso. Boston and the Chicago Cubs also profile as fits thanks to hitter-friendly ballparks and unsettled power situations.

Yet despite the theoretical matches, no deal has crossed the finish line.

A Return to Japan Is Suddenly Real

With Schwarber off the board and teams hesitant to commit both contract dollars and posting fees, Murakami’s leverage has softened. One possible outcome is a shorter MLB contract, allowing him to bet on himself and re-enter free agency after proving his value in the American game.

Another outcome is far more dramatic.

Murakami could return to Japan, dominate NPB once again, and revisit MLB in a year or two under more favorable market conditions. From his perspective, there is little downside. He remains a superstar at home, adored by fans and secure financially, while MLB teams risk losing a once-in-a-generation slugger because of caution.

The Clock Is Ticking

Murakami represents something MLB does not often get: a 26-year-old international power hitter at his peak. If teams hesitate too long, the sport may have to wait for its next chance to see Japan’s Babe Ruth test himself against the best pitchers in the world.

By Monday evening, baseball will have its answer.

Either Munetaka Murakami begins a new chapter in Major League Baseball, or he heads back home to Japan, leaving teams to wonder what might have been.

unetaka Murakami Be Headed Back Home?