Munetaka Murakami, White Sox: “Small Steps” Seen as A-League Homerun King!

A performance that overturned the concerns of fans in Japan and the U.S.

The three-hit game drowned out the concerns of fans in Japan and the United States.

Munetaka Murakami, 26, of the White Sox, who made his major league debut on March 27, hit his first home run in the ninth inning of his first game, and then hit homers in the next game and the game after that to end the season opener.

Murakami is the only Japanese to hit home runs in three consecutive games in the majors. Pundits in Japan and the United States had predicted that Murakami would have a high strikeout rate and would take time to respond to the fast-moving major league ball, but Murakami proved them wrong.

Behind Murakami’s “three-hit answer” is a minor change in his hitting form that he has been working on since last year in anticipation of a major league challenge. Baseball commentator Takahiro Tokitsu said.

Compared to his NPB days, the steps he takes when going for a swing seem to have gotten smaller. He is probably trying to reduce the blurring of his eye line as much as possible to improve his contact rate, which is said to be an issue, and to cope with small, curved balls such as cut balls and two-seamers. He has also accelerated his startup so as not to delay his swing, which is another reason why he is able to hit sweet pitches into the stands without missing.
During the WBC, Murakami received advice from Shohei Ohtani (31) on stance, swing power, and body angle. He has digested this advice and made it his own flesh and blood, and now his hesitation is disappearing from his swing.

Murakami is aiming to become the A-League homerun king, on par with his mentor, who opened his eyes to the game.

From the April 17/24, 2026 issue of FRIDAY