Munetaka Murakami entered Sunday on a 13-game homer-less streak. The 26-year-old Japanese rookie snapped that with his parents in attendance for his bobblehead day. The first baseman’s power returned, and his Chicago White Sox made their way back into the win column, handily defeating the Houston Astros 12-3.
The White Sox (55-49) dodged a potential sweep at Rate Field and kept their grip on first place in the AL Central, whereas the Astros (52-55) slid back in the crowded wild-card race.
Murakami, an All-Star in his first MLB season, is a big reason why the White Sox are atop their division. He’s been on baseball fans’ radar for years, yet Chicago’s reveled in his super-charged left-handed swing in 2026, after he inked a two-year, $34 million deal this past winter. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound slugger was a four-time NPB All-Star and immediately translated his success to the majors, depositing four long balls in his first eight MLB games. No Japanese-born player had accomplished that feat — not even four-time league MVP Shohei Ohtani.
It wasn’t long before he had 20 four-baggers in 55 games. But Murakami landed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain this spring, missing more than a month before he was in the White Sox’s lineup again. He wound up participating in this year’s Home Run Derby; however, Sunday’s explosion marked his first in-game dingers since May 27.
“It was going to come sooner or later,” Murakami said through interpreter Kenzo Yagi, per MLB.com. “It’s not like I’ve been having bad approaches. I wasn’t hitting home runs, but the approach itself was good. It was all about being patient in the box.”
Murakami’s parents threw out the first pitch before the series finale. His mom, Fumiyo, and his dad, Kimiya, delivered throws to Murakami and Yagi, as reported by The Athletic.
Murakami went yard in the bottom of the first, going the opposite way for a two-run blast. Although he grounded out in the third, he scored another run in the process. Murakami then notched a two-RBI single in the seventh and secured his second multi-homer game of the season in the eighth with a 398-foot solo shot to right-center field.
By game’s end, Murakami had a career-high six RBI.
Fittingly, Murakami’s bobblehead reads “I have power” at the base of the figurine. It was on full display Sunday in Chicago.
His parents were there to experience it again, too.
“The last time my parents came, I was injured,” Murakami said, per MLB.com. “Just being out on the field today and getting the results in front of them [leaves me] really speechless.”
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