Overview
- The Tokyo Yakult Swallows officially posted the 25-year-old power hitter, triggering a window that opens 8 a.m. ET Saturday and closes 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 22.
- The Yankees, Mets, Mariners, Phillies, Giants and Red Sox are cited as suitors, with the Blue Jays also reported to have interest.
- Murakami owns NPB’s single-season home run mark for a Japanese-born player (56 in 2022), has multiple MVPs and a Triple Crown, and hit 22 homers with a 1.043 OPS in 56 injury-limited games in 2025.
- Any MLB deal will include a transfer fee to Yakult under MLB’s posting rules—20% of the first $25 million, 17.5% of the next $25 million and 15% beyond—which could top $16.9 million on a $100 million contract.
- Though primarily a third baseman, evaluators project him to first base or designated hitter in MLB, and some analysts question a Dodgers fit given Max Muncy at third, Freddie Freeman at first and Shohei Ohtani at DH.