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White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami is just 4th rookie ever to homer in first 3 games
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- White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami is just 4th rookie ever to homer in first 3 games
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Things have not gone perfectly for the Chicago White Sox so far in the 2026 season. They struck out a record 20 times on Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers , and lost the second game, too. But White Sox rookie Munetaka Murakami has impressed so far, smoking a home run in each of his first three games.
"Munetaka Murakami is the 4th player in MLB history to homer in each of his first 3 career games. He joins: 2026 Chase DeLauter, 2019 Kyle Lewis , 2016 Trevor Story ," ESPN Insights reported.
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Murakami was a highly-regarded free agent coming over from Japan this offseason. He signed with the upstart White Sox on a two-year deal that is already paying off. With many of Chicago's prospects hitting the scene last year, Murikami could be the piece that makes them a trendy team come playoff time.
In eight seasons in the NPB, Murakami slugged 246 home runs and knocked in 647 runs. After slugging just one home run in the WBC, he has proven that his home run swing does translate to the North American fields.
Murakami was one of many White Sox hitters to get to Brewers starter Brandon Sproat on Sunday. After picking up the pitcher from the Mets in the Freddy Peralta trade, there were high expectations going into his first start. But the 25-year-old did not have his best stuff, allowing Chicago to score seven runs in just three innings.
The White Sox had a historically bad season in 2024, winning just 41 games. They have made strides since then, however, and attracting a free agent like Murikami is a significant one. Now, if he can perform, they could start to build even more. This season did not get off to the best start, but there are signs of a future.
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The White Sox stay on the road to face the Miami Marlins next.
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