Overview
- The posting window closes Monday, Dec. 22 at 5 p.m. ET, leaving a short runway for a deal.
- Clubs publicly linked include the Red Sox, Mariners, Tigers, Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays and Pirates, with the White Sox discussed as a possible fit.
- Insiders describe muted chatter by design, with Murakami and his representatives keeping visits and negotiations out of view.
- Evaluators cite swing-and-miss rates, defensive questions and handling of velocity even as they note his elite power, prompting Kyle Schwarber comparisons and a boom-or-bust label.
- Some expect a signing soon on a shorter term with a higher annual value once posting fees are included, as teams weigh his 246 NPB home runs and .951 career OPS against the risks.