Overview
- Through 21 games, the 26-year-old has seven home runs, 20 walks, 29 strikeouts and about a .909 OPS.
- MLB.com’s Scott Merkin says he looks better than expected and more than a pure three-true-outcomes bat, pointing to a 431-foot grand slam against the A’s.
- In a comparison shared by Chuck Garfien, Murakami is pacing ahead of Kyle Schwarber with 7 HR, 14 RBI, 20 BB and a .522 slugging percentage versus Schwarber’s 6 HR, 12 RBI, 13 BB and .507 SLG.
- The two-year, $34 million deal now looks team-friendly as FanSided argues the Orioles, Blue Jays, Pirates, Phillies and Red Sox may regret passing on him.
- He pairs elite power and strike-zone control with a whiff rate near 41 percent, so the start is promising yet still a small sample with defensive questions.