Murakami's power surge continues, setting new MLB rookie records

Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami continues to impress in his Major League Baseball debut, hitting his 26th home run of the season on August 9, 2026. The blast came in the sixth inning against Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams, a 99.8 mph fastball. This marks Murakami's second consecutive game with a home run, a feat he last achieved between May 25-27. His 26 home runs further solidify his record for the most home runs by a Japanese rookie in MLB history.

Murakami, who previously hit 56 home runs in a single season in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, joined the White Sox via the posting system on a two-year, $34 million contract. Many experts initially doubted his ability to adapt to MLB's high-velocity fastballs. However, data from MLB.com expert David Adler reveals that Murakami is excelling against pitches 97 mph and above, leading all of MLB with a .808 slugging percentage and a 1.249 OPS in such situations.

On August 9, Murakami went 1-for-3 with a walk, maintaining his hot streak. His batting average now stands at .237 with a .910 OPS. In contrast, fellow Japanese rookie Kazuma Okamoto of the Toronto Blue Jays, whose previous rookie home run record Murakami surpassed, has struggled recently. Okamoto went hitless in three at-bats as a pinch hitter and has been stuck at 24 home runs since July 28. His batting average has dropped to .225 with a .728 OPS, and his August average is a mere .152.