Overview
- Murakami’s posting window opens at 8 a.m. ET Saturday and closes at 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 22, and because he is 25 he can negotiate with all 30 teams without international bonus-pool limits.
- The Tokyo Yakult Swallows star has 246 career NPB home runs and authored a 56-homer, Triple Crown season in 2022.
- Any MLB deal will trigger a tiered payment to Yakult: 20% of the first $25 million, 17.5% of the next $25 million, and 15% of any amount above $50 million.
- Heavy interest is expected from big-market clubs such as the Dodgers, Mets, Yankees and Mariners, and an MLB.com writers’ survey most frequently predicted Seattle as his landing spot.
- Evaluations highlight elite left-handed power alongside a high strikeout rate and questions about third-base defense, with some projecting a move to first base after an injury-shortened 2025 season.