Munetaka Murakami news
The gist
Munetaka Murakami hit a three-run homer as the White Sox beat Detroit 3-1 to tie first.
The slumping rookie's power is central to Chicago's playoff push and stalled extension talks.
How it unfolded
- Sep 17, 2026Murakami hit a three-run homer, his team-leading 32nd, a 423-foot drive on the first pitch from Detroit's Framber Valdez, as the White Sox beat the Tigers 3-1 at Rate Field. The win moved Chicago (78-75) into a tie with idle Cleveland for first in the AL Central.
- Sep 18, 2026The homer was reported as his first in eight games and just his third in his last 28 games; he was batting .111 over that 28-game stretch. The White Sox held the tiebreaker over the Guardians with nine games remaining.
- Sep 20, 2026Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the White Sox say there is "no urgency" to sign Murakami to a contract extension amid a .107 skid over his last 29 games, with 54 strikeouts in 103 at-bats.